Words of Eternal Wisdom

2 | Bhavan Australia | September-October 2014

Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal ofmankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weaponof destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.

-Mahatma Gandhi

At the center of non-violence stands the principleof love. …The nonviolent approach does notimmediately change the heart of the oppressor. It first does something to the hearts and souls of those committed to it. It gives them new self-respect; it calls up resources of strength andcourage that they did not know they had. Finally it reaches the opponent and so stirs hisconscience that reconciliation becomes a reality.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr

Non-violence is not inaction. It is not discussion. Itis not for the timid or weak … Non-violence is hardwork. It is the willingness to sacrifice. It is thepatience to win. … There is no such thing as defeatin nonviolence…The first principle of non-violentaction is that of non-cooperation with everythinghumiliating. .

-Cesar Chavez

Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which isthe goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming allother living beings, we are still savages.

-Thomas A. Edison

Violence sometimes may have cleared awayobstructions quickly, but it never has proved itselfcreative.

-Albert Einstein

What is magnificent about humans is when theydecide to turn and stand. If they respond with non-violence on principle and hold their ground, theyare really magnificent.

-James Cromwell

If the Gandhian moment is to be realized, then itmust encompass both concerns with the violence ofweapons and the violence of inequitable structuresof domination and exploitation. Perhaps,unwittingly, the visibility of this violence due to theglobalization of media coverage, especially TV, willhasten the process by which the peoples of theworld sick from violence and the suffering entailed,will hasten the awakening of conscience andcommitment needed to carry forward the strugglefor a nonviolent world order. This is as much as wecan hope for at present, but such a hope willcertainly prove vain if we do not also act to thefullness of our individual and collective capacitiesto rid the world of war and violence..

-Richard Falk

One individual can begin a movement that turnsthe tide of history. Martin Luther King in the civilrights movement, Mohandas Gandhi in India,Nelson Mandela in South Africa are examples ofpeople standing up with courage and non-violenceto bring about needed changes.

-Jack Canfield

Words of Eternal Wisdom

September-October 2014 | Bhavan Australia | 3

There is a general tendency to look helplessly, if notwith utter resignation, at the prevailing socialmalediction of rampant corruption, scam after scam,unabashed hunger for power, authority and aninsatiable lust to amass wealth by any means withtotal disregard to the consequences.

People remain petrified and suppress their reactionsbecause of fear of reprisals that are sure to beunleashed ruthlessly at the slightest hint of protestby such forces against which they have no defence.Their stoical reticence is understandable becausethere is a necessity to remain within the societywhich in turn entails compromise and the resultantsacrifice of cherished values.

Otherwise they will have to remain not onlydefenceless but also deprived. Right from thebeginning of civilisation mankind had realised thevalue and need for civilised code of conduct and itssocial relevance. Down the millenniums right uptothe present-day, however, there has been flow andebb of enlightenment and adherence to valuesfollowed by suppression of those self-same valuesand ethics.

From time to time serenity, tranquillity and peace ofsocieties have been rudely disturbed, shaken andmutilated by forces of the darkest kind who haveimposed their will and their way of life on people bykeeping them under subjugation through theirbrutal strength. Such forces have also beenvanquished and their influence reversed in a cyclicalorder to make way for the return of the moral lawand righteousness; till that happens, the commonpeople will continue to suffer the ignominy of aruthless subjugation by the evil powers that be.

Where there should be hope, there will only beanguish and a sense of helplessness.

There is, however, a small section of messianicpeople, who have faith in God and have faith inthemselves. This combination fills their hearts withoptimism and hope.

For them, no matter how dark it may be now atnight, the illuminating rays of the sun are only amatter of hours away at dawn. Their numbers maybe small but with missionary zeal they do their workof applying balm to the lacerated minds of theconfused mass of people and do so quietly andunobtrusively. They are there amidst us all the time.When we look for them they are not easily found.However, when our defences are down, when we feelhelpless, when we cry out in pain and pray, givingup our vanity and ego, these invisible angels areinstantly at our side to pull us out of the depthcreated by our tormentors. Prayers are alwaysanswered, when they are made with absolute faithand the surrender is total. Let us pray then thatthese incarnates in flesh willsomeday lead us to aspiritual regeneration andrighteousness—hope andsalvation.

-Surendralal G Mehta President, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Worldwide

Illumination Occurs Where

There is Surrender


32

Contents

International Day of Peace ...................................... 22

Non-violent Strides towards Freedom .................. 24

Medellín: From Fear to Hope .................................. 26

Learning the Power of Non-violence the Martin Luther King Way .......................................... 28

Hindi Diwas (Day) .................................................... 30

Developing Our Personality ................................... 32

Lal Bahadur Shastri ................................................. 36

The Real Silent Killer—Your Own Mind ................ 40

Annie Besant ............................................................. 44

Indian Composite Culture - Religions .................... 46

Who is Responsible for the Decay of Varna Dharma ........................................................... 50

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Publisher & General Editor:Gambhir Watts [email protected]

Editorial Committee:Shabana Begum, Sayantan Chakravarty,Parveen Dahiya, Jessica Flores [email protected]

Designed and Printed at:India Empire, New Delhi, IndiaPh: +91.9899117477

Advertising:[email protected] Vidya Bhavan AustraliaSuite 100 / 515 Kent Street,Sydney NSW 2000

The views of contributors to Bhavan Australiaare not necessarily the views of BhavanAustralia or the Editor. Bhavan Australiareserves the right to edit any contributed articlesand letters submitted for publication. Copyright:all advertisements and original editorialmaterial appearing remain the property ofBhavan Australia and may not be reproducedexcept with the written consent of the owner ofthe copyright.

Bhavan Australia: - ISSN 1449 – 3551

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF BHARATIYAVIDYA BHAVAN AUSTRALIA

1408

Office Bearers:President Surendralal Mehta (President Bharatiya

Vidya Bhavan Worldwide)Executive Secretary Homi Navroji Dastur (Executive Secretary

and Director General Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Worldwide)

Chairman Shanker DharSecretary Sridhar Kumar Kondepudi

Other Directors:Palladam Narayana Santhanagopal, Kalpana Shriram, JagannathanVeeraraghavan, Moksha Watts, Krishan Kumar Gupta, SrinivasanVenkataraman.

President: Gambhir Watts OAM

Patrons: Her Excellency Mrs Sujatha Singh (Former High Commissioner of India in Australia), His Excellency Prahat Shukla(Former High Commissioner of India in Australia), His Excellency Rajendra Singh Rathore (Former High Commissioner of India in Australia)

Honorary Life Patron: His Excellency M. Ganapathi (Former ConsulGeneral of India in Australia and a Founder of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia)

My Non-Violence ...................................................... 5

Launch of Nonviolence Month ............................... 8

Ahimsa in Deed ........................................................ 10

International Day of Non-Violence ......................... 12

Learning to resolve Conflicts through Nonviolent Means: A Dalai Lama Approach ......... 14

Developing a Culture of Nonviolence and Peace: Daisaku Ikeda Ways .................................... 15

Nine Eleven and Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda ................................................. 16

The Youth Promotion towards a Culture of Non-Violence and Peace .......................................... 18

Educating for Non-Violence .................................... 19

Mahatma Gandhi’s List of Seven Deadly Sins ....... 20

Truth and Von-Violence

Truth and non-violence are the twin pillars onwhich rested the entire framework of themagnificent edifice of Mahatma Gandhi’s gloriouslife and work, which, according to the eminentscientist Einstein, was so spectacular that“generations to come, it may be, will scarce believethat such a one as this ever in flesh and bloodwalked upon this earth.” To the Mahatma, ofcourse, truth and non-violence were the two sidesof the same coin. Hence one can understand theimportance of non-violence in the working ofMahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of life.

Propagation of non-violence was no novel orunprecedented act of the Mahatma. As he himselfhas rightly said, “I have nothing new to teach theworld. Truth and non-violence are as old as thehills. Mahatma Gandhi was pioneer in the field ofapplying the talisman of Ahimsa or non-violence,which until then was accepted by saints as a meansto attain individual Moksha or salvation from thismaterial world, for the solution of day-to-dayproblems of the common man.

To him life was an undivided whole and it could notbe partitioned into water-tight compartments.Therefore, a true revolutionary as he was, he madeit a mission of his life to see that the age-old dictumof non-violence gets its rightful place in thecommunity of the future and all the relations andactivities of the society are carried on the basis ofthis universal doctrine.

To tell the truth, non-violence today has become amore pressing cry of the entire humanity than in anyparticular phase of the human history. Thetremendous advent in the sphere of physical sciencehas created such lethal weapons, before which theextinction of the human civilization, nay, even thespecies itself is a matter of a few seconds. In theancient times when science and technology were intheir infant stage, men could afford to be violent.

But in the mid-twentieth century, when the worldhas been divided into two warring camps, armed toteeth with the latest models of armaments of totalannihilation, the very urge of self-preservation hasmade it imperative on our part to embrace non-violence. Acharya Vinoba Bhave, the well-reputedprotagonist of non-violence in modern India, hasrightly remarked that this is an age when we musthave to make proper synthesis of Vijnana andAtmajnana, i.e. science and self-knowledge.

Not only Gandhians like Vinoba but so many othersfrom all over the world have echoed the samevoice and have said that without the guidance ofthe Spirit the present civilization is like a shipwithout a rudder. And what is the guidance of Spiritif it is not non-violence, i.e. pure love? In trying tounderstand Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violencewe should not overlook one important aspect ofthe truth. Mahatma Gandhi was no philosopher inthe dogmatic sense of the term. He did not cuthimself adrift from the daily problems andstruggles of the mankind and take refuge in asolitary physical and mental corner to formulatehis philosophy of non-violence.

His was the unique technique of taking active rolein the process of the solution of the everydayproblems of the downtrodden and in this processhe evolved, like a lotus that blooms petal afterpetal, his non-violence. Hence in the restrictedsense of the term, his was a realistic philosophyand that is why he was not tired of calling himself apractical idealist.

Whatever he has uttered in this respect war firstexperimentally proved by him and therefore it is anegation of truth if one says that the teachings ofMahatma Gandhi are meant for the Mahatmasalone and not for the man on thestreet. To such critics the entirelife and work of MahatmaGandhi are glaringtestimonies. It is but naturalthat such an importantsubject should be a matter ofdeep interest for all, who areconcerned with the wellbeingof the mankind.

Source: www.mkgandhi.org


My Non-Violence

Mahatma Gandhi


For this Month

A Season for Nonviolence

Of course there can and should always be a season for nonviolence. But at times itbecomes necessary to remind ourselves the significance of certain deliberateinitiatives in our daily life. Practice of nonviolence is one such, perhaps the most,significant trait of human behaviour.

Nonviolent action is a means of social struggle which has begun to be developed ina conscious way only in the last several decades. It does not rely on the good will ofthe opponent but instead is designed to work in the face of determined oppositionor violent repression. It is not limited to any race, nationality, social class, orgender and has been used successfully in widely varying political circumstances.

Nonviolent action is not simply any method of action which is not violent. Broadlyspeaking, it means taking action that goes beyond normal institutionalized politicalmethods (voting, lobbying, letter writing, verbal expression) without injuringopponents. Nonviolent action, like war, is a means of waging conflict. It requires awillingness to take risks and bear suffering without retaliation. On the mostfundamental level, it is a means by which people discover their social power.

Ever increasing number of prison inmates is going to solve the chronic epidemic ofcrimes involving violence on fellow human beings. Hearing of incidents of violenceeveryday everywhere makes us think more seriously of the alternative approach toconflict resolutions. Violence cannot be mitigated by violence. As Mahatma Gandhiwould say tit for tat or eye for eye approach will make everyone blind.

It is true that no one person or institution can make any significant difference, butcumulative effect of drops forma an ocean! Besides, every beginning has been madeby taking one step first. I know it sounds so childish and obvious, but sometimeswe have to get back our pure, innocent and naïve childhood thoughts to broadenour thinking and actions.

Inspired by Dr Ela Gandhi, whom I met for the first time about 3 years back inDurban at the international conference on nonviolence organised by GandhiDevelopment Trust and International Centre of Nonviolence (ICON) South Africa, Iset up the International Centre of Nonviolence Australia with her blessings. I was

Mahatma Gandhi Martin Luther King Jr. Nelson Mandela


Dalai Lama Aung San Suu Kyi Daisaku Ikeda

borne after Mahatma Gandhi had left this mortal world and therefore could neverhad chance to meet this greatest noble soul in person. But meeting with Dr ElaGandhi made me feel as if I was talking to Mahatma Gandhi.

Since the launch of ICON Australia I have always been thinking of continue my worktowards spreading the message of nonviolence in action everywhere. We launchedour quarterly magazine Nonviolence News late last year and then the MahatmaGandhi International Prize for Social Responsibility earlier this year.

I know I have yet to conquer my violent behaviour and thoughts, but that shouldn’tstop me in my mission of nonviolence. After all I am nowhere even being close to aspark of Mahatma Gandhi.

In my spare time I try to read about nonviolence movements and projects aroundthe world. Earlier this I learned about the Nonviolence Season in the USA whichstarts on 30 January (being Mahatma Gandhi’s martyrdom anniversary) and finisheson 4 April (being Dr Martin Luther King Junior’s martyrdom anniversary).

This inspired me to start the Nonviolence Month starting 2 October (being the UNInternational Day of Nonviolence commemorating Mahatma Gandhi’s birthanniversary). May be next year we commence the Nonviolence Month on 21September (being the International Peace Day) and finish on the third Sunday ofOctober.

I plead with everyone to join us in our efforts of spreading the message ofnonviolence in every aspect of our day to day life be it art, science, philosophy orsimply daily living routine.

Gambhir Watts OAMPresident, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia


On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti (BirthAnniversary) and International Day of Nonviolenceon 2 October 2014, International Centre ofNonviolence (ICON) Australia launched its newinitiative, Nonviolence Month. The Nonviolencemonth was inaugurated at University of New SouthWales (UNSW) on the Library Lawn in front of theMahatma Gandhi bust.

Mahatma Gandhi is revered by peoples across Indiaas Bapu ‘The Father of the Nation’ and the worldover as the ‘Great Soul’. He is remembered as muchfor his work towards Indian Independence as forhis commitment to non-violence and his belief insimple living and high thinking. Born on 2 October1869 in Porbandar, India, Mahatma Gandhi opposeddiscriminatory policies against peoples till his lastbreath.

The event started with the inaugural speech byGambhir Watts OAM, Founder and President ICONAustralia. While launching the Nonviolence Month,he emphasised the role and importance ofGandhian values in combating the internal andsocietal violence. He stressed upon the need ofnonviolence and cited his visionary aim tocontinuously work towards spreading the messageof nonviolence in action everywhere. He read outthe messages by ICON Patrons to the audience. Themessages from the ICON Patrons included: LordMayor of Sydney Hon. Clover Moore; Senator theHon Lisa Singh, Labor Senator for Tasmania,Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Environment,Climate Change and Water; Nick Kaldas, APMDeputy Commissioner (Field Operations), NSWPolice Force.

Dr Neville Roach AO, Patron of the UNSW Node ofthe Australia India Institute in his speech spokeabout the nonviolence and the Gandhian values. Heinvited people to be a part of Nonviolence Monthcelebrations and activities. He emphasized thelaunch of Nonviolence month as the birthday ofMahatma Gandhi and an opportunity to reflect onhis life, his values and their meaning to people alltoday.

Greg Johns, Vice General Director, Soka GakkaiInternational (SGI) Australia spoke about theviolence spread across the peoples, nations andemphasises the need of the Nonviolence practicesto be adopted in today’s society. He spoke as howSGI is working towards spreading the message ofnonviolence among people. While seeing the

Launch of Nonviolence Month


Nonviolence Month as a major opportunity tospread the message of nonviolence among massesat grassroots levels, he congratulated andextended his full support for ICON Australia in itsNonviolence initiatives and wished a greatsuccess.

Educational material ‘My Non-Violence’, withteachings of Mahatma Gandhi regarding how heshowed to the world that Truth and Von-Violenceare the twin pillars on which rested his life, weredistributed to the audience.

Various ministries, government departments, non-government organisations, universities, schoolshave extended their support and cooperation inspreading the message of nonviolence throughtheir participations in various activities and keepthe nonviolence message louder to the peopleand communities. These include: New SouthWales Parliament House; City of Sydney;Tasmanian Government; Penrith City Council;Soka Gakkai International Australia; QueenslandDepartment of Education, Training andEmployment; Griffith University, Centre forInterfaith & Cultural Dialogue; James CookUniversity; Monash University; Institute forEconomics and Peace; Women’s Council forDomestic and Family Violence Services (WA);

Noosa Library; University of Sydney; Departmentof Education and Early Childhood Development;Blacktown City Council; Corrective Services NSW(CSNSW), Department of Justice CorrectionsVictoria; University of New South Wales;Department of Justice and Attorney GeneralQueensland Corrective Services etc.

ICON Australia aims to have the NonviolenceMonth, an Australia-wide event in collaborationwith the major universities in every major city(Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth,Hobart, Darwin). This includes planned activities;concerts, musicals (peace through music), sports,lectures, workshops, visit to prison inmates andunder privileged communities in the variousregions of Australia.

ICON Australia will be closing The Nonviolencemonth with organising Nonviolence Month Concertin partnership with Soka Gakkai InternationalAustralia on 1 November 2014 at SGI Auditorium,Olympic Park, Sydney. The concert will beincluding various performances: Indian ClassicalMusic, Scottish Highland Dance, Russian OperaSinger, SGI World Choir Music, Bohemia combiningEgyptian tabla with clarinet and Middle EasternDance fusion and Latin Dance from Colombia,Cuba, Puerto Rico and Argentina.


Ahimsa in Deed

Limitless are the bounties, beauty and wonders ofnature. She has blessed mankind in abundance; butwith certain inherent control mechanisms. She hasher own rules and regulations, which man needs tofollow for his own well-being and spiritual growth.She has been kind enough to give intelligence anddiscretionary powers to man. But man, in hisgreed, many a time does not understand nature’schecks and balances. Nature then is forced tocheckmate him, for his own good.

Many of us are vegetarians. We eat plant-basedfood. We believe in ‘Ahimsa’ which is non-violenceor having reverence for all forms of life. We notonly believe in ‘Ahimsa’, but are practitioners of‘Ahimsa’. We have minimised our needs bybecoming or remaining vegetarians. Though beingvegetarian is excellent for man’s physical as well asspiritual health, it is not enough. We have realised,over the years, that being ‘vegan’ is a completepractice of ‘Ahimsa’. Veganism does not allow milkor dairy products for human consumption or use.

Vegetarians generally think that milk is part ofvegetarian diet; this is not so. Vegetarian foodnecessarily means something grown on a plant / tree.Vegetarian food is entirely plant-based. As well-known, milk does not grow on any tree / plant andtherefore not a vegetable. One may say MILK standsfor mother’s infinite love and kindness. It is producedby a human or animal mother. When a female,whether human or animal, becomes pregnant to givelife and birth to another being, she produces milk.

This is simply because she takes upon herself thework of the Creator, nurturing, protecting, takingcare and loving the new born as her own self,forgetting discomfort and pain. She is the one whogives shape to and creates and gives life to the newcreation. Her love, compassion and kindness flowinto the new creation and that naturally transformsinto white milk when her creation comes into theworld. Milk hence is only for the new born of themother and that too for a limited period of time, forthe nourishment and early growth of the infant.

Milk is a gift of nature for the helpless baby. Thered blood turning into white milk for the baby is amiracle of nature. As long as the child does not cutteeth, the mother gets milk, and the child grows instrength by consuming mother’s milk. Law of

nature is thus clear that milk belongs exclusively tothe baby. No species, other than human beings,consumes milk when it grows beyond a stage, onlywhen it is too young.

Human beings, unfortunately start having milk ofother species once they grow beyond this stage;little realising that it is a calf or an off-spring ofsome other species that is deprived of its dues. Itis, in fact, inhuman and against the tenets of non-violence and non-stealing when humans have milkof cows or other species, belonging to theiroffspring. Where can the helpless calf go for itsnourishment? The animal baby starves andremains under-nourished.

As though this sin is not enough, a bigger crimefollows. If the offspring is a male, it is sent away tothe veal industry in Western countries and to theslaughter house (surreptitiously in the early hoursof the day) in India. Now-a-days, everywhere, sincethe bull is not required by humans, either forfarming or carting, they indulge in these inhumanactivities to suit their selfish ends. Thousands ofbulls go to butchers for slaughter.

In addition to these atrocities, as the babies areweaned away from their mothers, the mother hasto undergo the pain of separation which she suffersin silence, without any revolt, as she practices non-violence. The cow cries silently, as the new-born istaken away. The silent agony of the cow createscertain vibrations.

These selfish acts perpetrated by human beings,due to their greed, result in the following threeconsequences:


Vegetarians generally

think that milk is part of

vegetarian diet; this is not

so. Vegetarian food

necessarily means something

grown on a plant / tree.

Vegetarian food is

entirely plant-based. As

well-known, milk does not

grow on any tree / plant

and therefore not a vegetable

1. When we take the milk which belongs to the off-spring of the cow, the suffering vibrations of thecow and the calf would boomerang on us andmight create some separation in our lives. As weplant the pain in others, the vibrations receivedwould result, as a ‘karmic’ consequence, intoseparation from our dear ones.

2. The cow’s normal life span is twenty-five years.Humans reduce this longevity by slaughter oruse in veal industry. The ‘karma’ of taking awaythe longevity of a living being influences our lifespan and may result in reduction of our own lifespan or of our dear ones.

3. We snatch away or steal the off-spring from thecow, as well as its milk for the calf. The milk andthe child are taken away ruthlessly without thepermission of the cow.

This is ‘adatta dan’, a charity not done by thedonor. It is acquisition of someone’s belongingswithout consent. The cow has milk, but it does notgive it. It stops eating, being separated from heroffspring. Machines are used to milk and forartificial insemination. A lot of suffering is inflictedon these peace-loving creatures by humans fortheir greed. In about seven years, due to theirexploitation, the cows become useless for humansand are sent for slaughter.

Our glass of milk results in the cow beingeventually slaughtered. The cow undergoes

physical torture and an agonising feeling ofseparation, for human well-being. It would be clearto any intelligent, caring and compassionateperson that it is not logically, medically, morallyand spiritually right to drink milk of other species,once the natural period of having mother’s milk isover. To satisfy ourselves and for our nourishmentand well-being, we may have milk from severalalternative sources like plants or nuts such assoya, rice, almond, coconut etc.

As Bhagwan Mahavira had said, “Non-violence andkindness to living beings is kindness to oneself. Forthereby one’s own self is saved from many kinds ofsins and the resultant sufferings and is able tosecure his own welfare.”

Chitrabhanu Maharaj, arenowned Jain SpiritualLeader was born on 26July 1922 in Rajasthan,India, During his twenty-eight years of monkhood,he spent the first fiveyears in silence andmeditation. With thisexperience, he emergedin the world with innergaiety and enlightened spirit. With his wisdom,lucid language and eloquent speech, he won thehearts of millions in India and became one ofthe spiritual leaders of twenty million Jains.Chitrabhanu Maharaj is the founder andspiritual adviser to the Jain MeditationInternational Center in New York City as well asto other meditation centers in America, UnitedKingdom, Africa, Canada and India.

Source: Bhavan’s Journal, 31 March 2014,Pictures: www.forum.ge, www.flickr.com

“Non-violence is not a garment to be put on and offat will. Its seat is in the heart, and it must be an

inseparable part of our being.”-Mahatma Gandhi

The Day of Non-Violence

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Non-Violence is a global observance that promotes non-violence through education and public awareness.It is annually held on October 2 to coincide withMahatma Gandhi’s birthday, the leader of theIndian independence movement and pioneer of thephilosophy and strategy of non-violence.

“At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

According to General Assembly resolution theInternational Day of Non-Violence is an occasion to“disseminate the message of non-violence,including through education and publicawareness”. The resolution reaffirms “the universalrelevance of the principle of non-violence” and thedesire “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance,understanding and non-violence”.

The UN General Assembly came up with aresolution in 2007 to establish the InternationalDay of Non-Violence. The Day aimed to spread themessage of non-violence, including througheducation and public awareness, around the world.The resolution reflected universal respect forGandhi and his philosophy. October 2, which isGandhi’s birthday, was allocated as the day’s date.The first International Day of Non-Violence was onOctober 2, 2007.

Mahatma Gandhi

“There are many causes that I am prepared to diefor but no causes that I am prepared to kill for.”-

Mahatma Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, 1927

Mahatma Gandhi’s “novel mode of massmobilization and non-violent action” brought downcolonialism, strengthened the roots of popularsovereignty, of civil, political and economic rights,and greatly influenced many a freedom struggleand inspired leaders like Nelson Mandela andMartin Luther King Jr. Desiring to secure a cultureof peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence, The International Day of Non-Violenceshould be celebrated by all through education andpublic awareness. The Day helps promote andstrengthen cultural understanding among thepeople of the world.


International Day of Non-Violence

World Peace

The principle of

non-violence, also

known as non-violent

resistance, rejects the

use of physical violence

to achieve social or

political change

“Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal ofmankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of

destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.”

Principle of Non-Violence

The principle of non-violence, also known as non-violent resistance, rejects the use of physicalviolence to achieve social or political change. Manygroups throughout the world use this method insocial justice campaigns. The non-violence actionincludes: protest and persuasion, includingmarches and vigils, non-cooperation and non-violent intervention, such as blockades andoccupations.

“There are many people who feel that it is useless and futile to continue talking about peace and non-violence against a government whose only reply is savage attacks on an unarmed and defenceless people.”

-Nelson Mandela

The UN recognizes a philosophical connectionbetween the human rights principles in itsuniversal declaration and those that MahatmaGandhi used. Gandhi is remembered today for hiscontributions towards India’s freedom and forsharing with the world a doctrine for dealing withinjustice and disharmony. He taught people thephilosophy of Ahimsa, which encourages the use ofnon-violence as a tool for the peaceful resolution ofdifferences. India gained its freedom on August 15,1947, through Gandhi’s efforts.

“I do not hold to non-violence for moral reasons, butfor political and practical reasons.”

-Aung San Suu Kyi

Celebrations

Many people, governments, and non-governmentorganizations around the world observe the

International Day of Non-Violence through variousevents and activities such as:

� News articles and broadcast announcementspromoting the day.

� Public lectures, seminars, discussions, andpress conferences about non-violence.

� Photo exhibitions highlighting issues, such asthe dangers of the illicit trade of small arms.

� Street awareness campaigns.� Light ceremonies promoting non-violence and

peace.� Multi-faith prayer meetings.

The International Day ofNon-Violence hasstrong connectionswith the works,beliefs, andmethods of peaceleader MahatmaGandhi, India’s“Father of theNation”.

Source: www.un.org,www.gandhitopia.org,www.timeanddate.com


On the occasion International Centre ofNonviolence (ICON) Australia commemoratesthe NONVIOLENCE MONTH starting on 2October, and finishing on 1 November 2014.During the month a series of activities areplanned nationwide with participation fromvarious Universities and Government and Non-Government Organisations

Learning to resolve Conflicts

through Nonviolent Means:

A Dalai Lama Approach

People search through and want answer to aswhether nonviolent action can be effective as ameans to bring about change; and how such actioncan be made more effective. In particular, it seeksto identify those factors, both internal and externalto a nonviolent movement, which are favorable forthat movement’s success, and to define nonviolentstrategies which can be used by non-state groups.There is a pressing need: as the incidence ofconflicts waged within state borders increases,nonviolence as a viable alternative to armedstruggle is progressively under pressure.

In an interlinked world, how to promotenonviolence in these disputes is a question whichconcerns the entire international community. Weshould directly involve the leaders of peoples andnations responsible for making decisions ofwhether to use armed force or nonviolence inpursuit of their goals; and for deciding how torespond to violence inflicted upon them by states.

We should explore the relationships betweennonviolence, violence, terrorism, conflict andlimitations experienced by peoples as they attemptto exercise their right to self- determination. Self-determination was understood as the process bywhich a people or nation obtains any goal in abroad spectrum of possible objectives, fromhuman, linguistic or cultural rights, to democracy,protection of the environment, autonomy, or, insome cases, independence.

The limiting of the exercise of that right wasidentified, in many cases, as the cause of conflict.We must fundamentally reaffirm the use ofnonviolence as an active means of promoting andachieving goals, while rejecting violence as aninstrument for resolving political, social andeconomic problems. It condemns both unprovokedviolence against nations, peoples and minorities

and all forms of terrorism, regardless of theperpetrators.

In relation to the use of self-defense,we must recognise that in somecases nations and peoples feelcompelled to use armed force todefend themselves againstarmed aggression, genocide andother prolonged or massiveforms of violence against them;

yet they remained aware that once begun, violencebreeds violence and is difficult to control andcontain. We must recommend several actionswhich could be undertaken by peoples andminorities as well as by certain sectors of theinternational community, including stategovernments and international organizations, tosupport and foster nonviolence, particularly inconflicts of an intra-state nature.

Effectiveness of nonviolent action—even in the faceof a violent oppressor— is dependent in large parton the internal conditions of each specificmovement as well as on the attitude and actions ofactors outside the movements. Good internalorganization, coherent strategies, and the skilfuluse of existing tools are essential for nonviolentmovements to be effective. Responsible leader shipcan be an import ant factor in this regard.

We must urge leaders of peoples and minorities todevelop effective strategies for peaceful changeappropriate to their specific situations and to openthem- selves up for dialogue at all levels with theparties with whom they are in conflict.

These must include:

� recognition of and respect for the equal rightsof all peoples and those of minorities,regardless of their size, their culture or religion;

� taking the needs and views of unrepresentedpeoples and minorities seriously; speaking outand condemning all unprovoked acts of violenceand gross violations of Human rights againstunrepresented peoples and minorities;

� recognition of the legitimacy of movements orgovernments which use peaceful anddemocratic means to achieve their objectives;

� engagement in open and sincere dialogue withall such movements and governments andrewarding their adherence to non-violence;

We must call on corporations and financialinstitutions to end the violent exploitation ofresources which sustain peoples, and to end thepromotion of violence through irresponsible armstrade and the commercialisation of violence in themedia and in their products.

Source: www.unpo.org, pictures: www.thechocolatebuddha.org


Developing a Culture of Nonviolence

and Peace: Daisaku Ikeda Ways

“The real struggle of the twenty-first century will not be between civilizations, nor between religions. It will be between violence and nonviolence. It will be between barbarity and civilization in

the truest sense of the word.”-Daisaku Ikeda

Nonviolence and Peace, Ikeda emphasizes, is notjust the absence of war. He defines a truly peacefulsociety as one in which everyone can maximizetheir potential to lead fulfilling lives free fromthreats to their dignity. Genuine peace can only beestablished on the basis of respect for the dignityof human life, on a recognition of our sharedhumanity.

Ikeda firmly rejects the idea that the differentcultural and religious traditions that underlie thegreat civilizations of our planet are in intrinsicconflict. He writes, “Since 9/11, much has beenmade of the role religious belief plays as a factor interrorism. But the real issue is that of exclusionaryideology and fanatic actions cloaking themselves inthe language and symbols of religion. If we fail toappreciate this, and start looking askance at thepractitioners of a particular faith, we will onlydeepen mistrust and aggravate tensions.”

In Ikeda’s view, all cultural and spiritual traditionsare expressions of human creativity responding tothe challenges of life. He has described culture asgrowing from people in different historical andgeographic circumstances attuning their ears andhearts to the wisdom and compassion inherent inthe cosmos itself. Strengthening the bonds ofconnection and mutual respect among differentpeoples is the first essential step to building arobust and inclusive culture of peace on a globalscale. Ultimately, such a culture of peacerepresents the only fundamental solution to thechallenges of war and terror.

A Clash of Civilizations?

The September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the USAand the subsequent launching of the “war onterror” made the issue of terrorism anoverwhelming focus of concern around the world.Many of Ikeda’s peace proposals and other writingshave examined this issue, questioning theappropriate response and looking at related issuesaround the questionable idea of a “clash ofcivilizations.”

About terrorism itself, Ikeda is unequivocal:

“Terrorism, which so cruelly robs people of life,can never be excused or justified by any reason orcause. It is an absolute evil. And when such actsare committed in the name of religion, itdemonstrates the utter spiritual bankruptcy of theperpetrators.”

The question of how to prevent and eliminateterrorism is, however, more complex. At the core ofIkeda’s thinking has been a challenge to theconcept that the problems of violence can besolved by violence. What are the long-term effectsof a response predicated on the use of force? Evenif force can appear to produce short-term results,does it not end up deepening and perpetuating thecycles of hatred and violence? And if violenceultimately does not offer a viable solution, whatshould form the basis of realistic response toorganized terror?

Ikeda stresses that any approach that willconstitute a “fundamental cure”—rather thansimply a symptomatic treatment—needs to bebased on the exercise of “soft power” embodied invalues and culture. Such an approach takes as itspoint of departure, in his words, “an acuteawareness of the humanity of others.” Thisawareness is, he says, “the very essence ofcivilization.” A response in these terms might focuson tackling the underlying conditions of povertyand injustice that are enabling factors in terrorism,and would thus express “genuine proof ofcivilization.”

Ikeda gives lengthy consideration to political andinstitutional responses to terrorism, advocating,for example, the important role of the InternationalCriminal Court to strengthen respect for the rule oflaw. He sees, however, a deeper issue in need ofaddress.

Thus, “In a world trapped in cycles of terrorismand military reprisal, I feel it is vital to put thescalpel to the corrupt roots from which thespiritual malaise of our erastems. Only by mustering thecourage to do this will we beable to breathe again theliberating winds of hope.”

-Daisaku Ikeda, PresidentSoka GakkaiInternational (SGI)Source:www.daisakuikeda.org



Nine Eleven and Mahatma Gandhi,

Swami VivekanandaWe pray Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekanandaon this day of September 11.

Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi first articulated theconcept of ‘Satyagraha’, non-violent resistance, at apublic meeting in South Africa on September 11,1906. His rigorous application of this philosophyover the next 40 years earned Gandhi the title ofMahatma—great soul. It also gave the modernworld a powerful new political tool for dealing withconflict and hurt.

On 9/11, 1906 Gandhi found himself in a leadershiprole at a gathering of Indians of all faiths, castesand professions at the Imperial Theatre inJohannesburg. In an atmosphere charged withanger and the determination to fight racism,Gandhi dropped an idea that acted like a depthcharge. Let us fight discriminatory laws by refusingto comply—by offering unflinching non-violentresistance.

His logic was impeccable. Truth is God and God islove. It follows that a struggle for justice cannotinvolve hurting one’s opponent. Instead, the ‘other’in a conflict must be weaned from error bypatience and sympathy. In turn, this meanscultivating the willingness to examine ‘truth’ in allits many dimensions. This can only be done bybeing strong—not physical strength but thestrength of truth-force or love-force.

Satyagraha: Its Theory and Practice

Carried out to its utmost limit, this force isindependent of pecuniary or other materialassistance: certainly, even in its elementary form,of physical force or violence. Indeed, violence isthe negation of this great spiritual force which canonly be cultivated or wielded by those who willentirely eschew violence. It is a force that may beused by individuals as well as by communities. Itmay be used as well in political as in domesticaffairs. Its universal applicability is ademonstration of its permanence and invincibility.It can be used alike by men, women and children. Itis totally untrue to say that it is a force to be usedonly by the weak so long as they are not capable ofmeeting violence by violence.

It is impossible for those who consider themselvesto be weak to apply this force. Only those who

realize that is something in man which is superiorto the brute nature in him, and that the latteralways yields to it, can effectively be passive. Thisforce is to violence and, therefore, to all tyranny, allinjustice, what light is to darkness.

We have taken long to achieve what we set aboutstriving for. That was because our passiveresistance was not of the most complete type. Allpassive resisters do not understand the full valueof the force, nor have we men who always fromconviction refrain from violence. The use of thisforce requires the adoption of poverty, in the sensethat we must be indifferent whether we have thewherewithal to feed or clothe ourselves. During thepast struggle, all passive resisters, if any at all,were not prepared to go that length. Some againwere only passive resisters so-called. They camewithout any conviction, often with mixed motives,less often with impure motives.

Some even, whilst engaged in the struggle, wouldgladly have resorted to violence but for mostvigilant supervision. Thus it was that the strugglebecame prolonged; for the exercise of the purestsoul-force, in its perfect form, brings aboutinstantaneous relief. For this exercise, prolongedtraining of the individual soul is an absolutenecessity so that a perfect passive resister has tobe almost if not entirely, a perfect man. We cannotall suddenly become such men, but if myproposition is correct-as I know it to be correct-thegreater the spirit of passive resistance in us, thebetter men we will become. Its use is indisputable,and it is a force which, if it became universal,would revolutionize social ideals and do away withdespotism’s and the ever-growing militarism.

Let no one understand that a non-violent army isopen only to those who strictly enforce in theirlives al the implications of nonviolence. It is opento all those who accept the implications and makean ever-increasing endeavor to observe them.There never will be an army of perfectly nonviolentpeople. It will be formed of those who will honestlyendeavor to observe nonviolence.

Swami Vivekananda’s God Realisation Lecture

It was on September 11, 1893 that an Indian monk,Swami Vivekananda, was overwhelmed by a threeminute standing ovation at the World Parliament ofReligions in Chicago. He travelled to the WorldParliament of Religions in Chicago, at the age of 30,


not so much as a Hindu missionary, but the bearerof what he experienced as a universal non-sectarian truth. Vivekananda realized that allspiritual striving is beyond reason, but reason isthe only way to get there. For reason is the greatestgift of human existence.

Even institutionalized religions, Vivekananda toldthe Parliament at Chicago, are nothing but“different paths which men take through differenttendencies, various though they appear, crooked orstraight” to the same goal. That goal is God-realization or self-realization – the two being oneand the same thing.

Over the next decade, till he died at the age of 39,Vivekananda travelled across the USA and westernEurope engaged in dialogue about racial andreligious conflict. He left behind a body of workthat attempts to recalibrate the dynamic betweenconquest, reparation and reconciliation.Reverberations of his appeal for universalbrotherhood persist today beside the buzz ofprotest and counter-protest.

Swami Vivekananda’s speech on that day beganwith the simple words “Sisters and Brothers ofAmerica” and proceeded to declare thatsectarianism, bigotry and fanaticism are outdatedphenomena. This is why he tends to be somewhatsimplistically deployed as a poster-boy of multi-cultural camaraderie.

In this famous speech, Swami Vivekananda spoke ofhis vision for an end to violence and fanaticism. Hismessage of the 1800’s is as timely and fitting now, inthe 2000’s, as it was then, over 100 years ago.

World Parliament of Religions

In recent history there have been great strides inbridging the spirituality of East and West. Notableamong these was the message given by SwamiVivekananda at the World Parliament of Religions

in 1893. The World Parliament of Religions wassponsored by the Unitarians and Universalists ofthe Free Religious Association, and was a part ofthe greater Columbian Exposition held for severalmonths in 1893, in Chicago, which was attended byover 27 million people.

Swami Vivekananda’s Standing Ovation

Swami Vivekananda’s opening talk is a benchmark,in that he was one of the earlier teachers to cometo America from the East, and the first swami tovisit America. Most notably, this was his first talk inAmerica. The 7,000 people in the audience,immediately feeling the depth of his sincerity, roseto their feet and according to reports, “went intoinexplicable rapture with standing ovation andclapping that lasted for more than three minutes.”He went on, “It fills my heart with joy unspeakableto rise in response to the warm and cordialwelcome which you have given us...”

Call for the end to Fanaticism

Swami Vivekananda closed by speaking ofhumanity’s history of violence and his hopes forit’s end, “Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horribledescendant, fanaticism, have long possessed thisbeautiful earth. They have filled the earth withviolence, drenched it often and often with humanblood, destroyed civilization and sent wholenations to despair. Had it not been for thesehorrible demons, human society would be far moreadvanced than it is now. But their time is come;and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled thismorning in honor of this convention may be thedeath-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutionswith the sword or with the pen, and of alluncharitable feelings between persons wendingtheir way to the same goal.”

Source: www.opendemocracy.net,www.mkgandhi.org, pictures: www.swamij.com

Mahatma Gandhi Swami Vivekananda


The Youth Promotion towards a

Culture of Non-Violence and PeaceYouth as Agents of Behavioural Change (YABC)initiative

YABC is the International Federation of Red Crossand Red Crescent’s (IFRC) flagship initiative on thepromotion of a culture of non-violence and peace,created in 2008 for youth and with youth from RedCross Red Crescent worldwide. IFRC views youthas a powerful source of change, whose energy andskills need to be harnessed to foster a culture ofnon-violence and peace built on non-discriminationand respect for diversity, gender equality,prevention of violence by addressing its underlyingroot causes, inter-cultural dialogue and socialinclusion. YABC empowers youth to take up anethical leadership role in inspiring a transformationof mindsets, attitudes and behaviours withinthemselves and their community.

This is done through:

1. the development of behavioural orinterpersonal skills: active listening, empathy,critical thinking, dropping bias and non-judgement, non-violent communication,mediation and peaceful resolution of tensions;

2. a non-cognitive or ‘from the heart to the mind’methodology using games, role-plays,visualizations and storytelling;

3. peer education. Youth are more receptive tolearn from other youth instead of being ‘taughtdown to’ by adults. Actually, YABC learningcomes from within and from exchange withpeers. Understanding is fostered by referring toone’s own experience and sharing with peers.Peer education, therefore, favours exchange at alevel of equality, trust and thought-provokinglearning where solutions are explored andfound together;

4. creative artistic platforms to reach out to thelocal community: art, dance, theatre, music,digital stories, video and sports;

5. inner change, i.e. the commitment and action tostart with oneself, to “be the change we want tosee in the world” (Mahatma Gandhi). Thismeans embarking on a lifelong learning processto ‘walk our talk’, which instils a sense ofhumility and of taking up responsibility;

6. the development of a capacity to operate frominner peace. Pursuing peace and harmonywithin ourselves is essential to be able toinspire change outside. To this purpose, YABChas put together ‘inner arts’, like Qi Gong,

breathing and relaxation techniques.

Volunteering, An Essential Tool

Volunteering is at the heart of community building.Perhaps one of the most powerful ways to create orenhance a sense of community belonging is toparticipate in activities which strengthen thecommunity. Volunteering is an excellent way for anindividual to become involved in the life of thecommunity. It brings together people from differentbackgrounds, cultures and religions and helps todevelop compassion and friendship, therebyfostering respect for diversity.

Active participation in community life highlights thatthe elderly are a resource to be respected and valuedby the community as a whole. For children and youth,volunteering can help to develop values and skills.

Youth feel a sense of pride and usefulness, as theyare able to actively contribute to their community.Volunteering strengthens community supportsystems, which increase resiliency and reducevulnerability to participating in violent activities.

So, organized community service, when prescribedby the court, can be an effective tool and anopportunity to promote more positive social valuesand develop skills and resiliency to avoid futureviolence. Participation in successful serviceprojects in their own communities can help youthto regain their self-esteem and a sense of belongingand personal investment in their community. Thiscan also facilitate the youth’s reintegration, asother community members will see this positiveeffort to assist and improve the community,helping to rebuild trust.

A Call to Action

� Promote the engagement, especially of youth, involuntary service or community programmes tonurture humanitarian values and increasecommunity cohesion.

� Institutionalize voluntary service at the nationallevel, through introducing the Movement’sFundamental Principles and avenues forvoluntary service as part of the formal schoolcurriculum, in particular at the primary andsecondary level.

Source: www.ifrc.org


Educating for Non-Violence

What it is and How to cope with it:

There is a global increase of domestic insecurity,crime and violence, and crimes committed againstminority groups. Consequently, a culture ofviolence has sprung up against children, women,and the elderly, and is threatening humanity as awhole. We are faced with the challenge to changethis trend of increasing violence and make peoplerealize that through violence we cannot reach ourgoals. We have to start a transformation process, achange towards a culture of peace, i.e. a set ofvalues, attitudes and behavior that reflect andinspire social interaction and sharing, based on theprinciples of freedom, justice and democracy,tolerance and solidarity that reject violence andendeavors to prevent conflicts.

How to change the culture of violence at thenational level: 1. The National level � Omit the use of violent language in the media � Involve the youth in the formulation of a vision

of a peaceful society

2. The Community level � Fostering cooperation and participation,

tolerance and understanding

3. Families � Monitor consumption of violence � Listen to children � Criticize children less � Eliminate the identification of masculinity with

violence � Foster co-responsibility of men and women in

rearing children

4. The School level � School environment should foster peace� Cooperation operation � Good communication � Positive learning environment� Empathy tolerance and compassion

Violence is a learned behavior which can beunlearned by and mediation conflict resolution.The objective to reach a culture of peace is torealize on a global scale the following skills: � Dialogue � Respect for human right � Mediation � Cooperation

Prior to reaching the globalization, these skillsshould be implemented on a local basis and

eventually be passed on to otherfellow countries. In this process,one's own life, the family life, schools,and the communities are the initiating factors insolving the problem of violence. The philosophyfor being a good educator is to listen to the values,beliefs and aspirations of the children, thusshowing one's respect for them.

To find solutions to the problem of education fornon-violence due attention must be paid to thefollowing insights that relate to basic causes ofyouth violence:1. Two distinct aspects to reverse the current

trends away from youth violence: � Socializing youth towards self-love and self-

worth, including respect for their communities� Rehabilitate young people who are prone to

violent behavior.

The incidence of corporal punishment, whichinduces fear into young people, diminishes theirself-confidence, and lowers their self-esteem.Corporal punishment seriously damages youngstudents as the classroom environment becomesdominated by fear.

2. Sound discipline for the building of soundcharacter. It is important to set behavioralboundaries and appropriate sanctions, whileduly observing that arbitrary use of powertends to become socially detrimental.

3. With regard to the gender dimension insocieties, young males are discouraged fromshowing emotional grief when they feel the needto do so.

4. Value education should be introduced into theteaching of traditional subjects. This will entailthe training of teachers, to model the valuesthey are attempting to transmit.

5. Reorientation of the concept of non-violence ineducation i.e. a non-violent school should notmerely imply a school in which there are noovert acts of physical injury.

The solutions to the problems resulting fromviolence are: � Involvement of all parts of government� Mobilization of support structures, e.g. schools,

family, community (early intervention)

Source: www.unesco.org, Pictures:www.veganismisnonviolence.com


Mahatma Gandhi said that seven things will destroyus. Notice that all of them have to do with social andpolitical conditions. Note also that the antidote ofeach of these “deadly sins” is an explicit externalstandard or something that is based on naturalprinciples and laws, not on social values.

1. Wealth Without Work2. Pleasure Without Conscience3. Knowledge Without Character4. Commerce (Business) Without Morality (Ethics)5. Science Without Humanity6. Religion Without Sacrifice7. Politics Without Principle

Wealth Without Work

This refers to the practice of getting something fornothing - manipulating markets and assets so youdon’t have to work or produce added value, justmanipulate people and things. Today there areprofessions built around making wealth withoutworking, making much money without paying taxes,benefiting from free government programs withoutcarrying a fair share of the financial burdens, andenjoying all the perks of citizenship of country andmembership of corporation without assuming any ofthe risk or responsibility.

How many of the fraudulent schemes that went on inthe 1980s, often called the decade of greed, werebasically get-rich-quick schemes or speculationspromising practitioners, “You don’t even have towork for it”? That is why I would be very concernedif one of my children went into speculativeenterprises or if they learned how to make a lot of

money fast without having to pay the price byadding value on a day-to-day basis.

Some network marketing and pyramidalorganizations worry me because many people getrich quick by building a structure under them thatfeeds them without work. They are rationalized tothe hilt; nevertheless the overwhelming emotionalmotive is often greed: “You can get rich withoutmuch work. You may have to work initially, but soonyou can have wealth without work.” New socialmores and norms are cultivated that causedistortions in their judgement.

Pleasure Without Conscience

The chief query of the immature, greedy, selfish, andsensuous has always been, “What’s in it for me? Willthis please me? Will it ease me?” Lately many peopleseem to want these pleasures without conscience orsense of responsibility, even abandoning or utterlyneglecting spouses and children in the name of doingtheir thing. But independence is not the most maturestate of being - it’s only a middle position on the wayto interdependence, the most advanced and maturestate. To learn to give and take, to live selflessly, tobe sensitive, to be considerate, is our challenge.Otherwise there is no sense of social responsibilityor accountability in our pleasurable activities.

The ultimate costs of pleasures without conscienceare high as measured in terms of time and money, interms of reputation and in terms of wounding thehearts and minds of other people who are adverselyaffected by those who just want to indulge andgratify themselves in the short term. It’s dangerousto be pulled or lulled away from natural law withoutconscience. Conscience is essentially the repositoryof timeless truths and principles - the internalmonitor of natural law.

A prominent, widely published psychologist workedto align people with their moral conscience in whatwas called “integrity therapy.” He once told me thathe was a manic-depressive. “I knew I was gettingsuicidal,” he said. “Therefore, I committed myself toa mental institution. I tried to work out of it,neutralize it, until I reached the point where I couldleave the hospital. I don’t do clinical work nowbecause it is too stressful. I mostly do research. Andthrough my own struggle, I discovered that integritytherapy was the only way to go. I gave up mymistress, confessed to my wife, and had peace forthe first time in my life.

Knowledge without Character

As dangerous as a little knowledge is, even moredangerous is much knowledge without a strong,principled character. Purely intellectual developmentwithout commensurate internal characterdevelopment makes as much sense as putting a high-

Mahatma

Gandhi’s List of

Seven Deadly Sins


powered sports car in the hands of a teenager who ishigh on drugs. Yet all too often in the academicworld, that’s exactly what we do by not focusing onthe character development of young people. One ofthe reasons I’m excited about taking the Seven Habitsinto the schools is that it is character education.

Some people don’t like character education because,they say, “that’s your value system.” But you can geta common set of values that everyone agrees on. It isnot that difficult to decide, for example, thatkindness, fairness, dignity, contribution, andintegrity are worth keeping. No one will fight you onthose. So let’s start with values that are unarguableand infuse them in our education system and in ourcorporate training and development programs. Let’sachieve a better balance between the developmentof character and intellect. The people who aretransforming education today are doing it bybuilding consensus around a common set ofprinciples, values, and priorities and debunking thehigh degree of specialization, departmentalization,and partisan politics.

Commerce (Business) Without Morality (Ethics)

In his book Moral Sentiment, which preceded Wealthof Nations, Adam Smith explained how foundational tothe success of our systems is the moral foundation:how we treat each other, the spirit of benevolence, ofservice, of contribution. If we ignore the moralfoundation and allow economic systems to operatewithout moral foundation and without continuededucation, we will soon create an amoral, if notimmoral, society and business. Economic and politicalsystems are ultimately based on a moral foundation.To Adam Smith, every business transaction is a moralchallenge to see that both parties come out fairly.Fairness and benevolence in business are theunderpinnings of the free enterprise system calledcapitalism. Our economic system comes out of aconstitutional democracy where minority rights are tobe attended to as well. The spirit of the Golden Ruleor of win-win is a spirit of morality, of mutual benefit,of fairness for all concerned. Paraphrasing one of themottos of the Rotary Club, “Is it fair and does it servethe interests of all the stakeholders?”

That’s just a moral sense of stewardship toward allof the stakeholders. I like that Smith says everyeconomic transaction. People get in trouble whenthey say that most of their economic transactionsare moral. That means there is something going onthat is covert, hidden, secret. People keep a hiddenagenda, a secret life, and they justify and rationalizetheir activities. They tell themselves rational lies sothey don’t have to adhere to natural laws. If you canget enough rationalization in a society, you can havesocial mores or political wills that are totallydivorced from natural laws and principles.

I once met a man who for five years served as the

“ethics director” for a major aerospace company. Hefinally resigned the post in protest and consideredleaving the company, even though he would lose abig salary and benefit package. He said that theexecutive team had their own separate set ofbusiness ethics and that they were deep intorationalization and justification. Wealth and powerwere big on their agendas, and they made no excusefor it anymore. They were divorced from reality eveninside their own organization. They talked aboutserving the customer while absolutely mugging theirown employees.

Science Without Humanity

If science becomes all technique and technology, itquickly degenerates into man against humanity.Technologies come from the paradigms of science.And if there’s very little understanding of the higherhuman purposes that the technology is striving toserve, we becomes victims of our own technocracy.We see otherwise highly educated people climbingthe scientific ladder of success, even though it’soften missing the rung called humanity and leaningagainst the wrong wall.

The majority of the scientists who ever lived orliving today, and they have brought about ascientific and technological explosion in the world.But if all they do is superimpose technology on thesame old problems, nothing basic changes. We maysee an evolution, an occasional “revolution” inscience, but without humanity we see precious littlereal human advancement. All the old inequities andinjustices are still with us.

About the only thing that hasn’t evolved are thesenatural laws and principles - the true north on thecompass. Science and technology have changed theface of most everything else. But the fundamentalthings still apply, as time goes by.

Religion Without Sacrifice

Without sacrifice we may become active in a churchbut remain inactive in its gospel. In other words, wego for the social facade of religion and the piety ofreligious practices. There is no real walking withpeople or going the second mile or trying to dealwith our social problems that may eventually undoour economic system. It takes sacrifice to serve theneeds of other people - the sacrifice of our ownpride and prejudice, among other things.

If a church or religion is seen as just anotherhierarchical system, its members won’t have a senseof service or inner workship. Instead they will beinto outward observances and all the visibleaccoutrements of religion. But they are neither God-centered nor principle-centered.

Source: www.mkgandhi.org


“It is not enough to teach children how to read, write and count. Education has to cultivate mutualrespect for others and the world in which we live,

and help people forge more just, inclusive and peaceful societies.”

-UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on hismessage for ‘Education for Peace’

Each year the International Day of Peace isobserved around the world on 21 September. TheGeneral Assembly has declared this as a daydevoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, bothwithin and among all nations and peoples.

The International Day of Peace, Peace Day, providesan opportunity for individuals, organizations andnations to create practical acts of peace on ashared date. It was established by a United Nationsresolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening ofthe General Assembly. The first Peace Day wascelebrated in September 1982. In 2002 the GeneralAssembly officially declared September 21 as thepermanent date for the International Day of Peace.

By creating the International Day of Peace, the UNdevoted itself to worldwide peace and encouragedall of mankind to work in cooperation for this goal.During the discussion of the UN Resolution thatestablished the International Day of Peace, it wassuggested that:

“Peace Day should be devoted to commemoratingand strengthening the ideals of peace both withinand among all nations and peoples…This day willserve as a reminder to all peoples that our

organization, with all its limitations, is a livinginstrument in the service of peace and shouldserve all of us here within the organization as aconstantly pealing bell reminding us that ourpermanent commitment, above all interests ordifferences of any kind, is to peace.”

History

In 1981, United Nations General Assembly affirmed,in a declaration subsidized by Costa Rica, the thirdTuesday of September as an International PeaceDay devoted to observing and spiraling the ethicsof peace. In 2001, a new declaration was passedthrough the General Assembly, supported throughthe United Kingdom and Costa Rice to provide theday of calm a rigid date and proclaim it as theworld ceasefire day. In the year of 2005, UnitedNations Secretary-General Kofi Annan termed forthe international ceremony of 24-hours cease-fireand the day of non-violence to smear the Day.

In the year of 2006, during his period in office,Secretary-General Kofi Annan rang Peace Bell for themost recent time. That year UN declared the “manyways it works for peace and to encourage individuals,groups and communities around the world tocontemplate and communicate thoughts andactivities on how to achieve peace. United Kingdomheld the primary community and official observationof the United Nations International Peace Day andNon-Violence in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.”

In the year of 2007, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon rang Peace Bell at United Nations

International Day of Peace


Headquarters in New York terming for the 24-hourstermination of oppositions on 21 September, andalso for one minute to make quiet to be watchedaround the humanity.

The Day of Ceasefire

“There is never a good war or a bad peace.”-Benjamin Franklin

In 2001, the General Assembly established 21September as an annual day of non-violence andcease-fire. The UN invited all nations and people tohonour a cessation of hostilities during the Day,and to otherwise commemorate the Day througheducation and public awareness on issues relatedto peace. The Day is a global call for ceasefire andnon-violence. International Day of Peace is also aDay of Ceasefire—personal or political. We shouldtake this opportunity to make peace in our ownrelationships as well as impact the larger conflictsof our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefirewould mean to humankind.

Youth for Peace and Development

Young people around the world must take a standfor peace. Youth, peace and development areclosely interlinked: Peace enables development,which is critical in providing opportunities foryoung people, particularly those in countriesemerging from conflict. Healthy, educated youth arein turn crucial to sustainable development andpeace. Peace, stability and security are essential toachieving the Millennium Development Goals,aimed at slashing poverty, hunger, disease, and

maternal and child death by 2015.

Make Your Voice Heard

The World Peace Society gives confidencecontribution by all organizations, schools andindividuals. Each year; all parts of the people in theglobe celebrate this International Peace Day on21st September. Peace Bell is directed from thecoins contributed by kids on all the continents, andalso considered a sign of world unity. It wasspecified as an endowment by Japan. It issubmitted to as a “reminder of the human cost ofwar.” The dedication on its elevation reads: “Longlive absolute world peace.”

Celebrations

Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It canbe as simple as lighting a candle at noon, or justsitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve gettingour co-workers, organization, community orgovernment engaged in a large event. The impact ifmillions of people in all parts of the world, cometogether for one day of peace is immense.

The United Nations invites all nations and peopleto honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day,and to otherwise commemorate the Day througheducation and public awareness on issues relatedto peace.

Source: www.un.org,www.internationaldayofpeace.org,www.altiusdirectory.com, pictures:www.peacesymbol.org


October 2, 1869: Diwan of the princely state ofPorbandar, Karamchand Gandhi and his fourthwife, Putli Bai, are blessed with a baby boy who isnamed Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

� June, 1891: Mohandas clears the Barexamination and becomes a lawyer afterattending Inner Temple Law School in theUnited Kingdom. He represents Indian Muslimtraders in South Africa.

� 1893: He is thrown off a train atPietermaritzburg in South Africa after he refusesto give up his first class reservation and moveto third class. He protests and gets a first classseat the next day but is beaten up by the driveras he refuses to make room for a Europeantraveller. Gandhi decides to oppose this bybringing together people from other countriesliving in South Africa.

� 1894: To oppose a Bill denying Indians the rightto vote in South Africa, he forms Natal Indian

Congress. Though NIC is unable to stop the Bill,Gandhi starts a crusade against injustice.

� 1897: When he lands at Durban Harbour, SouthAfrica in January, a group of White settlers beathim up. The wife of the Durban Police Chieftries to save him. The event gets huge mediacoverag e and the colonial government isforced to arrest the Whites. Gandhi refuses topress charges and leverages public admiration.The attackers offer a public apology.

� 1906: The Asian Population Registration Act isenacted. It requires all Asian residents toregister their personal information and carry acard with their fingerprints. Gandhi asks peopleto not register and suffer punishment. Thus,Satyagraha (non-violent movement started byGandhi to help India attain in independence)gains prominence. Over seven years, severalprotesters are jailed or shot.

� 1908: In August, Gandhi and around 2,000Indians burn their registration cards. Gandhiand other leaders are arrested and the countrywitnesses many protests.

� 1919: The British Government enforces theRowlatt Act that allows it to arrest suspected“terrorists” and keep them in prison withouttrial. The Indian National Congress starts theHartal Movement—thousands of Indians stopworking, stop selling and buying British goods.Riots occur. Nearly 400 Indians are killed and athousand are injured in Amritsar.

� 1920: Gandhi encourages Indians to boycottBritish products, asks them to produce theirown clothes.

� 1930: Britlshers pass the Salt Act that makes itillegal for Indians to make salt. On March 12, 61-year-old Gandhi travels 320 km on foot for 24days to Dandi to make salt. Millions of Indians

Non-violent Strides towards

FreedomAs the nation celebrates Mahatma Gandhi’s 145th birth anniversary on October 2, we trace his illustrious life and achievements


join him. Gandhi is arrested.

� 1942: He launches the Quit India campaign todeclare India’s Independence. Agitated rulersimprison Gandhi.

� 1943: The 73 year-old starts a hunger strike thatlasts 21 days to protest against India’s Partition.

� 1944: Fearing that he would die in prison dueto deteriorating health, Gandhi and fellowleaders are released.

� August 14-15, 1947: The Indian IndependenceAct is enacted and India becomes anindependent state

� January 30, 1948: Nathuram Godse fires threebullets at the Mahatma from point blank rangeat 5.17 pm at Birla House in Near Delhi.

Source: India Perspectives, September-October2014

Launching of National AYUSH Mission

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval forlaunching of the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) with its core and flexible components.

The proposed Mission will address the gaps in health services through supporting the efforts ofState/UT Governments for providing AYUSH health services/education in the country, particularlyin vulnerable and far-flung areas. Under NAM special focus will be given for specific needs of suchareas and for allocation of higher resources in their Annual Plans. The Mission will help in:

i. the improvement of AYUSH education through enhancement in the number of upgradededucational institutions;

ii. better access to AYUSH services through increase in number of AYUSH hospitals anddispensaries, availability of drugs and manpower;

iii. providing sustained availability of quality raw material for AYUSH systems of medicine; and iv. improving availability of quality Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy (ASU&H) drugs

through increase in number of pharmacies, drug laboratories and improved enforcementmechanism of ASU&H drugs.

Background India possess an unmatched heritage represented by its ancient systems of medicine like ASU&Hwhich are a treasure house of knowledge for preventive and promotive healthcare. The positivefeatures of the Indian systems of medicine namely their diversity and flexibility; accessibility;affordability, a broad acceptance by a large section of the general public; comparatively lessercost and growing economic value, have great potential to make them providers of healthcare thatthe large sections of our people need.

Every time I have been in the middle of aconversation with a group of Australians and theyhave asked me where I am from, a fearfulexpression appears on their faces when they hearmy answer: Medellin, Colombia. Even though theytry in different ways to hide it, I would alwaysnotice their faces change immediately. Then theywould try to change the topic to avoid theuncomfortable silence or try to make a positivecomment about the coffee or the flowers that theyremembered from an old documentary they hadseen years ago.

Unfortunately, that is the reputation we got as acity after many years of violence, drugs andcountless social problems; a reputation that hastaken many years to remove from people’s minds.Now that I have come back to Medellin after livingseveral years abroad, I have come to recognize thatMedellin is experiencing a speedy transformationthat has changed its reputation from a violent,bloody, and unsafe place to a haven of innovationand urban development that is recognizedworldwide.

From Fear to Hope

But this has not been an easy process. From 2003 –2007 Medellin has experienced a profoundtransformation that has taken them from fear tohope. From fear of death, violence, kidnapping tothe hope that brings education and newopportunities. One of the main problems to solvewas the inequality and violence rooted in thedepths of society that was based on the drug trade.This factor brought not only murders, but also thedestabilization of society.

That was the moment when governmentimplemented a double dynamic: decreasingviolence through political transformation andincreasing opportunities through education andculture.

These complementary actions gave great resultsand even though we have a long way to go, we haveimproved increasingly as a society. In 1991, wewere the most violent city in the world, but wewent from 381 homicides in 1991 to 26 homicides in

2007. This number has been reducing year afteryear and one of the main reasons for this deepchange came from cultural incentives andopportunities.

In December 2012, Medellín was recognized as themost innovative city in the world, resulting from acompetition staged and conducted by The WallStreet Journal. This was sponsored by Citigroupand through the support of the Urban LandInstitute (ULI). So how is it possible to explain thischange in a city that had previously been soviolent? Before answering this question, it is vitalto gain some context of the structure anddemographic of Colombia.

Located in the north-western corner of SouthAmerica, the Republic of Colombia is the onlycountry in South America with coasts on theAtlantic and Pacific Oceans. With a land area ofalmost 1,200,000 km2, Colombia is the fourthlargest country in South America, and with apopulation of around 47 million,that makes it thethird largest in Latin America. Colombia is the thirdlargest country when it comes to the number ofSpanish speakers, possessing a multiculturalpopulation, regions and races. This comes from theblending of ethnicities between Europeans, Indiansand Africans, with minorities of indigenous andAfro-descendent.

Medellin is the capital of the department ofAntioquia, in Colombia’s Andean region. Althoughthere is still much to do, this city has shown theworld a new face, because of its resilience and itsability to reverse this tough international image.Part of this is due to heavy investment in theMunicipal Administration projects for thedevelopment of its people. One of the key areas:culture.

Medellín: From

Fear to Hope


Artistic formation

The Aburrá Valley, where Medellin is located, hasbeen strongly flourishing through its people inprojects of cultural and artistic expression. Forexample, they have exchanged guns for violins, allthrough strongly support government projects suchas PPL and PP. In 2007 the Mayor of Medellininstitutionalized Local Program Planning andParticipatory Budgeting (PPL and PP) whichemerged as an idea that citizens themselves decideon a percentage of public resources (5% of theannual budget of hedge funds) as a way to overcomesome of the problems that each area of the city has.One of the most critical areas for citizens: culture asan effective medium for social transformation.

Between 2005 and 2015, the government hasallocated around 1,300 billion pesos in LocalProgram Planning and Participatory Budget. In theperiods from 2013, 2014 and 2015 the amount isestimated to reach 453,000 million pesos ($225,935,162 in American Dollars approx.).

“The child hugging an instrument, never will wield a weapon”

Thousands of young people and city dwellers havebenefited from these programs. One of them isDiego Alexander Zapata and his group “EmpireGroup”, who for the second year have won firstplace in Comunal dances in the city, and throughthe Calls for Stimulus PP and PPL are publicizingtheir talent with urban and modern rhythms. A lotof children that used to be exposed to dailyviolence and had the guns as the only instrumentto survive and defend themselves, are discoveringculture as an opportunity to expand their horizonsand see beyond their reality, and that it is possibleto have another future. While there is still a lot todo and we are far from achieving complete peaceand harmony, I can see how new generations are

breathing the fresh air that opportunity andcollaboration can bring.

Local Program Planning Participatory Budget

In the cultural sphere, specifically the Ministry ofCitizenship Culture for 2014 is running LocalProgram Planning and Participatory Budgeting witha wide range of courses and cultural events thatwill be available to the public. The beneficiarieswill be over 55,000 citizens from Medellin.

The program for 2014 will invest more than 11billion pesos in different municipalities, with fourcomponents to develop.

1. Cultural Agenda: includes all events andcultural coexistence, as encounters withcitizens to mobilize around communityactivities and artistic expressions in a limitedspace and time. It brings together ideas, dreamsand proposals, mediated by the manifestationsof talent and creativity.

2. Artistic Training: includes teaching - learning indifferent areas and expressive modalities relatedto music, dance, performing arts, visual arts,graphic and communication arts, applied arts,crafts, design, literature, or other specific artisticappreciation, as required by communities. Thereare also workshops for all ages.

3. Memory and Heritage: It focuses on recovering,rescuing, evaluating, disseminating, publicizingand promoting oral, historical, and culturalmemory, as well as the tangible and intangibleheritage in the towns and districts of the city. Itresponds to the need of strengthening thecollective identity of citizens in their territorythrough collaborative processes.

4. Cultural Strengthening: includes strengtheningand shaping processes of cultural networksthrough training and support in thedevelopment of work plans and management ofcultural and artistic networks.

-Ana María Palacio Lopera isa Colombian journalistworking at the Agency ofUrban Development inMedellín. She has beeninvolved in culturalassociations and socialdevelopment projects whileliving in Peru and Australia.


Poetry festival Medellin From Fear to hope

Not to Humiliate but to Win Over

The nonviolent resister does not seek to humiliateor defeat the opponent but to win his friendship andunderstanding. Our aim is not to defeat, not tohumiliate any community but to win the friendshipof all of the persons who had perpetrated thissystem in the past. The end of violence or theaftermath of violence is bitterness. The aftermath ofnonviolence is reconciliation and the creation of abeloved community. A boycott is never an endwithin itself. It is merely a means to awaken a senseof shame within the oppressor but the end isreconciliation, the end is redemption. We have tomake it clear also that the nonviolent resister seeksto attack the evil system rather than individuals whohappen to be caught up in the system. The struggleis rather between justice and injustice, between theforces of light and the forces of darkness. And ifthere is a victory it will not be a victory in realsense. But it will be a victory for justice, a victoryfor good will, a victory for democracy.

Another basic thing we have to get over is thatnonviolent resistance is also an internal matter. It notonly avoids external violence or external physicalviolence but also internal violence of spirit. And so at thecenter of our movement should stand the philosophy oflove. The attitude that the only way to ultimately changehumanity and make for the society that we all long for isto keep love at the center of our lives.

Agape Love

The Greek language uses three words for love. It talksabout eros. Eros is a sort of aesthetic love. It has cometo us to be a sort of romantic love and it stands with allof its beauty. But when we speak of loving those whooppose us we’re not talking about eros. The Greeklanguage talks about philia and this is a sort ofreciprocal love between personal friends. This is a vital,valuable love. But when we talk of loving those whooppose you and those who seek to defeat you we arenot talking about eros or philia. The Greek languagecomes out with another word and it is agape. Agape isunderstanding, creative, redemptive good will for allmen. Biblical theologians would say it is the love of Godworking in the minds of men. It is an overflowing lovewhich seeks nothing in return. And when you come tolove on this level you begin to love men not becausethey are likeable, not because they do things thatattract us, but because God loves them and here welove the person who does the evil deed while hatingthe deed that the person does. It is the type of love thatstands at the center of the movement that we are tryingto carry on in the Southland—agape.


Some Power in theUniverse That Works forJustice

There are persons whobelieve firmly innonviolence who do notbelieve in a personal God,every person whobelieves in nonviolentresistance believessomehow that theuniverse in some form is on the side of justice. Thatthere is something unfolding in the universe whetherone speaks of it as a unconscious process, or whetherone speaks of it as some unmoved mover, or whethersomeone speaks of it as a personal God. There issomething in the universe that unfolds for justice. Andthis is one of the things that kept the people together,the belief that the universe is on the side of justice.

Agape says you must go on with wise restraint and calmreasonableness but you must keep moving. We have agreat opportunity to build here a great world, a worldwhere all men live together as brothers and respect thedignity and worth of all human personality. We mustkeep moving toward that goal. We must continue tomove on. Our self-respect is at stake; the prestige of ourworld is at stake. Civil rights is an eternal moral issuewhich may well determine the destiny of our civilizationin the ideological struggle with communism. We mustkeep moving with wise restraint and love and withproper discipline and dignity.

The Need to be “Maladjusted”

Modern psychology has a word that is probably usedmore than any other word. It is the word “maladjusted.”We all should seek to live a well-adjusted life in order toavoid neurotic and schizophrenic personalities. Butthere are some things within our social order to whichyou are proud to be maladjusted and to which call uponyou to be maladjusted. Never intend to adjust yourselfto segregation and discrimination. Never intend toadjust yourself to mob rule. All men are created equaland are endowed by their Creator with certaininalienable rights and that among these are life, libertyand the pursuit of happiness.” God grant that we will beso maladjusted that we will be able to go out andchange our world and our civilization. And then we willbe able to move from the bleak and desolate midnight ofman’s inhumanity to man to the bright and glitteringdaybreak of freedom and justice.

Source: www.teachingamericanhistory.org,pictures: www.loveangeles.com

Learning the Power of Non-violence the

Martin Luther King Way

Martin Luther King Jr.


There are probably only a distinct minority ofpersons on this globe who have not heard of NelsonMandela, a man imprisoned for 27 years on RobbensIsland for protesting the evils of apartheid. Millionshave even seen the movie Invictus or read hisbiography about the long road to freedom. It was along road for Mandela himself, and one that ledeventually to his being the President of South Africaand a Nobel Peace prize winner. Nelson Mandela hasbeen an inspirational figure for millions, and havingspent time on various occasions in South Africa, youcan understand why. At the bottom of this post I willshare with you some of his inspirational sayings.

Mandela, above all else was a politician, and proudof it, working to rid a country of its official racistpolicies, something which he certainly largelysucceeded in doing. It is of course one thing tochange a nation’s laws, another to change its heart.Mandela’s commitment to non-violence, as he onceexplained was a matter of political tactics, morethan a matter of principle as it was for MahatmaGandhi or Martin Luther King.Violence is never along term solution to any endemic human problem,and the worst part about it is when you use violencevs. one’s enemies, you become what you despise, aperpetrator of evil in the form of murder, whethersanctioned and legal or otherwise.

There were many stories of courage and facingdown the racism with non-violent resistance, andeven love of enemies. It is a story we should learnmore about in a world still plagued by racisms ofvarious sorts. Think with some of Madeba’s wisdom,his aphorism….. see what you think… What you willthink is, that the Prince of Peace would be pleasedwith Mandela’s major accomplishments.

Learning and Promoting the Nelson MandelaPhilosophy

� Courage is not the absence of fear, but thetriumph over it. The brave man is not he whodoes not feel afraid, but he who conquers thatfear.

� Difficulties break some men but make others. Noaxe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinnerwho keeps on trying, one armed with the hopethat he will rise even in the end.

� It always seems impossible until it’s done.� When a man has done what he considers to be

his duty to his people and his country, he can

rest in peace.� Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the

freedom of their people.� A fundamental concern for others in our

individual and community lives would go a longway in making the world the better place we sopassionately dreamt of.

� Everyone can rise above their circumstances andachieve success if they are dedicated to andpassionate about what they do.

� Education is the most powerful weapon whichyou can use to change the world.

� For to be free is not merely to cast off one’schains, but to live in a way that respects andenhances the freedom of others.

� Do not judge me by my successes, judge me byhow many times I fell down and got back upagain.

� There is no passion to be found playing small – insettling for a life that is less than the one you arecapable of living.

� We must use time wisely and forever realize thatthe time is always ripe to do right.

� Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden butnever extinguished

� Resentment is like drinking poison and thenhoping it will kill your enemies.

� A good head and a good heart are always aformidable combination.

� When people are determined they can overcomeanything.

Source: www.patheos.com, pictures: www. leadsa.co.za

Learning and Promoting the Legacy of

Nelson Mandela: Non-Violence and

Forgiveness as a Means of Change

14 September is celebrated as Hindi Day or HindiDiwas. Hindi was adopted as the official language ofConstituent assembly in 1949 on this day. The Daymarks Hindi as our Raj Bhasha (NationalLanguage). The Constitution of India adopted Hindiin Devanagri Script as the official language of theunion in 1950. Hindi is a standardised andSanskritised register of the Hindustani languagederived from the Khariboli dialect. Hindi, theprimary official language of the Republic of India, isone of the 22 official languages of India.

History

Hindi has a history behind; it belongs to Indo-Aryan branch of Indo-European language family.The word ‘Hindi’ itself is a gift of Persian, Mughalsadded to its flavour, Amir Khusro was first to writeHindi Poem. Though it evolved from Sanskrit butmany of its words originated from Arabic orPersian language.

The Link Language

Hindi is also called as a ‘link language’, as it hasunited the vast Indian Diaspora and also minimizedthe gap between South and North India. Hindilanguage has travelled a long distance to make itspresence felt in the World. It is spoken in manyparts of the world and is one of the main languagesin Mauritius, Surinam, Trinidad and many othersincluding US, South Africa, New Zealand etc. If it ismother tongue of 180 million people then it is alsothe second language of 300 million people.Mahatma Gandhi used this language to unite thewhole India and used this language as ‘language ofunity’. The word Swadeshi revolutionised thefreedom struggle, and its entry into the Oxforddictionary marks its importance in world history.Hindi being a live language is gaining popularityand on the way to become a global language.

The Official Language

At the state level, Hindi is the official language ofthe many states in India: Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar,Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh,Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, HimachalPradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh.Each of these states may also designate a “co-official language”; in Uttar Pradesh for instance,depending on the political formation in power,sometimes this language is Urdu. Similarly, Hindi isaccorded the status of co-official language inseveral states.

The celebration of our Independence Day in themonth of August leaves us with more reason toenjoy the spirit of patriotism by celebrating theHindi day in September. Our national language has aspecial significance in touching our lives each day.Renowned poets and lyricists have conveyed viamany songs the spirit of freedom felt by Indians andalso extolled the beauty of poetry through Hindi.

The essence of Hindi is felt in mythologicalcharacters, school syllabus and our daily exchangeas a means of communication. The visit to theatresis characterized by respecting our National Anthemin Hindi which expresses wonderful emotions feltby all Hindustanis.

Celebrations

Hindi Diwas is celebrated in many schools andcolleges. It is fun to enjoy poems and exchanges indramatic sequences highlighting the multifariousactivities that can be conducted through Hindi.Students recite poems and read papers to show theimportance of Hindi. Various religious and culturalprograms are held in the schools. The studentsrecite Dohas of Kabir, Ravidas, Rahim. The studentsand teachers use Hindi language in theirconversation throughout the day. On the Day HindiDiwas awards and Raj Bhasha Awards distributionfunctions are organized.

Hindi Diwas Celebrations in Australia

IABBV Hindi School celebrated Hindi Diwas 2014and Indian Literary and Art Society of Australia(ILASA) organised its fourth annual Hindi KaviSammelan (poets’ conference) to celebrate HindiDay. Hindi Samaj of Western Australia will beorganising an event ‘Phulwari’.

Source: www.goodparenting.co.in,www.indiascanner.com, www.mapsofindia.com,pictures: www.searchpp.com,www.exoticindiaart.com


Hindi Diwas (Day)

and peace. Values and skills-based education instilshumanitarian values, like respect for diversity,compassion, care and friendship, mutualunderstanding, cooperation, equality and peace.

As with culture of non-violence and peace, theprocess of values and skills-based education iscrucial. This type of education is participatory andstimulates critical thinking and independence.

Values are generally more associated with feelingsthan with intellect or rational analysis. Valuesconnect to our right brain. So, arts, music, sportsare ideal vehicles to instil, develop and nurturevalues and interpersonal social skills, wherefeelings, experience, vibrations or body rather thanintellectual analysis are entry points for learning. Astrong link has been shown between earlychildhood experiences and later adult attitudesand behaviours. Therefore, starting values andskills-based education as early as possible isessential. This can be done in a variety of settingssuch as family, preschool and school, sport clubsand social activities.

A Call to Action

� For formal education, institutionalize values andskills-based education and cultural awarenessprogrammes at the national level: incorporationas an integral part of the formal schoolcurriculum, at the earliest stage, includingprimary and preschool level.

� For non-formal education, public and privateschools to engage in partnerships with externalactors who can transmit values and skills-basededucation through school or after-schoolinterventions.

� In the community: i) provide and encourage access for all tocommunity-based activities such as sports, arts,music and theatre which favour thedevelopment of a sense of fair play, teamworkand creativity. Sports, for example, have alsobeen successfully utilized to foster dialogue,respect and understanding to reduce violence; ii) reach out to vulnerable youth through non-cognitive empowerment programmes,which have proven to be moresuccessful and cost effectivethan many traditionalprogrammes for at-riskcommunities.

Source: www.ifrc.org


Common Roots, Common Solutions

Changing a culture of violence into a culture ofpeace requires a transformation of problems tocreative and constructive solutions that answer theneeds of those involved. When we think aboutviolence, discrimination and exclusion, thechallenges may seem insurmountable. However,these challenges are fundamentally connected.Ignorance and misunderstandings, assumptionsbased on a lack of communication and mistrust,feed discrimination and violence. These allinfluence and reinforce one another.

Vulnerability to violence, discrimination andexclusion can also be linked to a number ofcommon social determinants, such as alcohol anddrug misuse or abuse, poverty, inequalities ofincome, gender or power and misuse of power.Seeing these connections, it becomes clear that itis essential to systematically address common rootcauses. Just as there can be common roots ofviolence, discrimination and exclusion, there canbe common solutions. Successfully addressingthese three humanitarian challenges requires achange of mindsets, attitudes and behaviours.

We need to start with ourselves. We all carry biasand prejudice. Awareness, questioning and criticalself-reflection can help break conditioning orcorrect bias learned through schooling, media andupbringing. Equipping parents, teachers,communities, organizations and each and everyindividual with skills to interact constructively andlive harmoniously together, such as empathy,active listening and non-violent communication,will support and help sustain this values-basedmind shift. Values and skills-based education is aconcrete action contributing to this requiredchange of mindsets, attitudes and behaviours.

Through values and skills-based education—whether in school, family or community life—children, for example, will learn how to act withnon-judgement or listen actively and therefore gaina respect for diversity. Having respect for diversitywill lessen their chance of participating indiscriminatory behaviour and, later on, inadolescence or adulthood, to resort to violencewhen confronted with tensions or problems.

Values and Skills-Based Education

Values and skills-based education is an essential toolfor transforming towards a culture of non-violence

Transforming towards a Culture of

Non-Violence and Peace


People’s personalities are truly diverse. In themultitude of people’s personalities, we see theBuddhist principle of cherry, plum, peach and apricotblossom at work. Just as each blossom is beautiful inits own way, each person is also endowed with theirown special qualities. Being introverted doesn’t makesomeone incapable, just as being quick-tempereddoesn’t make a person useless. We should live in a waythat is true to ourselves.

Our personality doesn’t determine our happiness orunhappiness, rather it is the substance of how we’velived our lives that decides. The purpose of Buddhismand education as well as of all our efforts toward self-improvement and growth is to enhance that substance.

For example, a person’s shyness may be transformedinto valuable qualities such as prudence and discretion, while someone’s impatiencemight be transformed into a knack for getting things done quickly and efficiently. It’sinevitable that there will be aspects of your personality that you don’t like. But it isfoolish to become obsessed by such things and succumb to feelings of self-hatred andunworthiness and consequently hinder your own growth. Outstanding individualsdidn’t become great overnight. They disciplined themselves to overcome theirweaknesses, conquering apathy and inertia to become true victors in life.

Life is a struggle with ourselves; it is a tug-of-war between moving forward andregressing, between happiness and unhappiness. Those short on willpower or self-motivation should pray with conviction to become a person of strong will, a personwho can tackle any problem with real seriousness and determination. Perhaps theycould try challenging themselves to some task at hand—it can be anything—and keepat it until they can say that they’re absolutely satisfied they’ve done their best.

Anyone who has ever made a resolution discovers that the strength of theirdetermination fades with time. The moment you feel that happening is when youshould make a fresh determination. That is the time to say to yourself, “Okay! I willstart again from now!” If you fall down seven times, get up eight. In other words, don’tgive up when you feel discouraged, just pick yourself up and renew yourdetermination each time. The important thing is not that your resolve never waver,but that you don’t get down on yourself when it does and throw in the towel.

No one has only faults or only merits. We all have a mixture of both. Therefore, youshould strive to develop and polish your positive attributes. As you do so, yourshortcomings will fade until they are no longer apparent. The important thing is totake that first step. If you bravely overcome one small fear, it will give you thecourage to take on the next one.

Make goals, whether big or small, and work toward realizing them. At the same time,you must be serious and dedicated to your goals. An earnest, dedicated spirit shineslike a diamond and it moves people’s hearts. If we are sincere, people will understand

Developing Our Personality

Daisaku Ikeda


our intentions, and our positive qualities will radiate. It is pointless to be caught up inoutward appearances. The German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) wrote:“How may one get to know oneself? Never by contemplation, only, indeed, by action.Seek to do your duty, and you will know at once how it is with you.”

It’s all about taking action, taking that first step. If your aim is to swim across a vastocean, it would do you no good to get cold feet standing on the shore before you eventake the plunge; you’ve got to make a move, keeping your sights set on your goal in thedistance.

You have to be true to yourself; you have to follow your own path. Anyone can lead good,fulfilling lives, if they aim and work toward a great goal or purpose. Indian political andspiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948) is an excellent example. As a boy, Gandhiwas excruciatingly shy. He was unable to sleep without a light on, haunted by the fear ofimaginary thieves, ghosts and serpents. He was introverted and always worried thatpeople would make fun of him. Gandhi struggled with this problem for many years.

Even after passing the bar exam and qualifying as a barrister, he was still quite timid.When he finally had to present his first case in court and the time came to cross-examinethe witness, he became nervous and confused, and the room started spinning. Hecompletely forgot what he was going to say and had to leave the courtroom. A majorturning point occurred when Gandhi was in South Africa. The Indian residents therefaced severe discrimination. On one occasion, he was riding in a first-class car on a trainwhen a white person brought over the train conductor, who ordered him to move to thefreight car. Gandhi wouldn’t budge, so the conductor called a police officer who forciblypushed him off the train.

In the waiting area at the train station, Gandhi sat shivering in the cold and dark. Hestayed awake all night lost in thought, pondering whether he should return to India orendure the hardship of taking a stand and fighting for human rights. He finally came tothe conclusion that it would be nothing but cowardice to run from his fears anddisregard those who were being discriminated against the way he had been. From thatmoment, with the determination to save people from injustice, Gandhi faced andchallenged his timid nature.

After a twenty-year struggle, the Indian people in South Africa gained concessions towardfreedom. And, as is well known, Gandhi then made his final return to India where,through his movement of nonviolent civil disobedience, he achieved the independence ofhis home country. Gandhi held the conviction that we can become anything we want tobe. It all depends upon the strength of our determination.

Daisaku Ikeda, a Buddhist philosopher, peacebuilder, educator, author and poet isthe third president of the Soka Gakkai lay Buddhist organization and the foundingpresident of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a Buddhist organizationpromoting a philosophy of character development and social engagement forpeace.

-This article has been provided by Greg Johns, Vice General Director, Soka GakkaiInternational Australia


Shaheed Bhagat Singh“The aim of life is no more to control mind, but todevelop it harmoniously, not to achieve salvationhere after, but to make the best use of it herebelow, and not to realise truth, beauty and goodonly in contemplation, but also in-the actualexperience of daily life; social progress dependsnot upon the ennoblement of the few but on theenrichment democracy or universal brotherhoodcan be achieved only when there is an equality ofopportunity of opportunity in the social, politicaland individual life.” -Bhagat Singh (Page 124 of Jailnotebook)

Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, a revolutionary andmartyr gave a new direction to revolutionarymovement in India. He formed ‘Naujavan BharatSabha’ to spread the message of revolution inPunjab, formed ‘Hindustan Samajvadi PrajatantraSangha’ along with Chandrasekhar Azad toestablish a republic in India, assassinated policeofficial Saunders to avenge the death of Lala LajpatRai, dropped bomb in Central Legislative Assemblyalong with Batukeshwar Dutt. He took Lala LajpatRai’s death revenge by killing Scott. He was a truemartyr of Indian freedom struggle.

Early Life

Bhagat Singh was born on 27 September 1907 atBanga in Lyallpur district (now Pakistan) to KishanSingh and Vidya Vati. From his early childhood,Bhagat Singh was imbued with the family’s spirit ofpatriotism. At the time of his birth, his fatherKishan Singh was in jail. His uncle, Sardar AjitSingh, was a great freedom fighter and establishedthe Indian Patriots’ Association. He was well-supported by his friend Syed Haidar Raza, inorganizing the peasants against the Chenab CanalColony Bill. Ajit Singh had 22 cases against himand was forced to flee to Iran.

Jalianwala Bagh

Kishan Singh enrolled Bhagat Singh DayanandAnglo Vedic High School run by Arya Samaj. Whilestudying at D.A.V. School in Lahore, in 1916, youngBhagat Singh came into contact with some well-known political leaders like Lala Lajpat Rai and RasBihari Bose. Punjab was politically very charged inthose days. In 1919, when Jalianwala Bagh

massacre took place, Bhagat Singh was only 12years old. The massacre deeply disturbed him. Onthe next day of massacre Bhagat Singh went toJalianwala Bagh and collected soil from the spotand kept it as a memento for the rest of his life.The massacre strengthened his resolve to driveBritish out from India.

Mahatma Gandhi

In response to Mahatma Gandhi’s call for non-cooperation against British rule in 1921, BhagatSingh left his school and actively participated inthe movement. In 1922, when Mahatma Gandhisuspended Non-Cooperation Movement againstviolence at Chauri-Chaura in Gorakhpur, Bhagatwas greatly disappointed. His faith in non-violenceweakened and he came to the conclusion thatarmed revolution was the only practical way ofwinning freedom. To continue his studies, BhagatSingh joined the National College in Lahore,founded by Lala Lajpat Rai. At this college, whichwas a centre of revolutionary activities, he cameinto contact with revolutionaries such as BhagwatiCharan, Sukhdev and others.

A Born Revolutionary

To avoid early marriage, Bhagat Singh ran awayfrom home and went to Kanpur. Here, he came intocontact with a revolutionary named GaneshShankar Vidyarthi, and learnt his first lessons asrevolutionary. On hearing that his grandmother wasill, Bhagat Singh returned home. He continued hisrevolutionary activities from his village. He went to

Bhagat Singh


Lahore and formed a union of revolutionaries byname ‘Naujavan Bharat Sabha’. He startedspreading the message of revolution in Punjab. In1928 he attended a meeting of revolutionaries inDelhi and came into contact with ChandrasekharAzad. The two formed ‘Hindustan SamajvadiPrajatantra Sangha’. Its aim was to establish arepublic in India by means of an armed revolution.

Simon Commission

In February 1928, a committee from England,called Simon Commission visited India. Thepurpose of its visit was to decide how muchfreedom and responsibility could be given to thepeople of India. But there was no Indian on thecommittee. This angered Indians and they decidedto boycott Simon Commission. While protestingagainst Simon Commission in Lahore, Lala LajpatRai was brutally Lathicharged and later onsuccumbed to injuries. Bhagat Singh wasdetermined to avenge Lajpat Rai’s death byshooting the British official responsible for thekilling, Deputy Inspector General Scott. He shotdown Assistant Superintendent Saunders instead,mistaking him for Scott. Bhagat Singh had to fleefrom Lahore to escape death punishment.

Central Legislative Assembly Bombing

“I am such a Lunatic that I am free even in Jail.”

Instead of finding the root cause of discontent ofIndians, the British government took to morerepressive measures. Under the Defense of IndiaAct, it gave more power to the police to arrestpersons to stop processions with suspiciousmovements and actions. The Act brought in theCentral Legislative Assembly was defeated by onevote. Even then it was to be passed in the form ofan ordinance in the “interest of the public.” BhagatSingh who was in hiding all this while, volunteeredto throw a bomb in the Central LegislativeAssembly where the meeting to pass the ordinancewas being held.

It was a carefully laid out plot, not to cause deathor injury but to draw the attention of thegovernment, that the modes of its suppressioncould no more be tolerated. It was decided thatBhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt would courtarrest after throwing the bomb. On April 8, 1929Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombsin the Central Assembly Hall while the Assemblywas in session. The bombs did not hurt anyone.

After throwing thebombs, Bhagat Singhand BatukeshwarDutt, deliberatelycourted arrest byrefusing to runaway from thescene.

They wanted them to teach a lesson. Both of themgot arrested and during their trial in jail, BhagatSingh went on a hunger strike in order to protestagainst the inhuman treatment given to Indianprisoners. In the court he decided to use the courtas a tool to showcase his protest for Indianindependence. Moreover, the cause of the hungerstrike was to get newspapers for politicalprisoners, good quality of food, better clothing andsupply of necessary toiletries. He and othermembers of his party were there on a 63 dayhunger strike. After this long strike, the Britishofficials had to agree on their terms and theyprovided all the necessary things, which hedemanded.

The Execution

They deliberately wanted to die and when thecourt gave the sentence, they were very happy.They wanted to die because they wanted that theirdeath would inspire the youth of our country andthey will get united to fight against the BritishEmpire.

On October 7, 1930 Bhagat Singh, Sukh Dev and RajGuru were awarded death sentences. While BhagatSingh was in prison along with his other threefriends, he wrote a letter to the Viceroy. He wantedthat he should treat him as the prisoners of warthus; they should not be hanged but, shouldexecute them by firing squad. Bhagat Singh was atrue soldier who fought for his country and gothanged when he was just 23 years of age. OnMarch 20, one of Bhagat Singh’s friends visited himin jail as he wanted him to sign on a letter formercy, but this great man refused to sign thatletter. Despite great popular pressure andnumerous appeals by political leaders of India,Bhagat Singh and his associates were hanged inthe early hours of March 23, 1931.

Source: www.shahidbhagatsingh.org,www.sikh-history.com, www.iloveindia.com,www.peopleforever.org, www.culturalindia.net


Lal Bahadur Shastri“The world as a whole is full of problems anddifficulties and it is most important that everycountry which loves its Freedom and wants tomaintain its Independence and sovereignty

should work for peace and try to see that there is disarmament in the world which alone will

lead to real peace”. -Lal Bahadur Shastri

Small of stature, simple and soft-spoken, LalBahadur proved to be one of the heroes of thehistory of India. A great General in MahatmaGandhi’s army of peaceful soldiers of freedom, LalBahadur became the symbol of India’s valour andself-respect.

“I am just an ordinary man and not a very bright man.”

But there was always a smile, which overarchedhis words. There was not the slightest sign of prideor authority in his bearing.

A short man, A lean body, Eyes wide as the wheels of a cart.His clothes simple, his voice soft and almost inaudible.

Lal Bahadur never praised himself. He neveraspired for power. He never worked for it. And yetpower and authority came in search of him. Fameset a crown on his head. The short man grew into acolossus. He showed by his work that, though hewas tender like a flower, he could be hard asdiamond, too. He filled the Four Corners of theworld with the fame of India.

Childhood and Early Life

Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on October 2, 1904at Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh to Sharada Prasadand Ramdulari Devi. His father Sharada Prasad wasa school teacher and later on he became a clerk inthe Revenue Office in Allahabad. He got a meagresalary of fifty rupees a month. Even with this littlemoney he could meet his both ends properly.Though he had limited means, he never acceptedbribes and lived a life of honesty and integrity. LalBahadur, who was beau ideal of simplicity andhonesty, got these habits from his father.

His mother, Ram Dulari was also a very great soul.Because of her strong will, high character andspirit of dutifulness, she became an ideal mother.In 1906, when Lal Bahadur was just eighteenmonths old, his father suddenly died of the plague.The breadwinner of the family was gone leaving a

young pregnant widow, Ramdulari Devi with twosmall children. Lal Bahadur’s younger sister wasborn after three months of his father’s death. Withthree small children, Ramdulari Devi faced hermisfortunes with great courage.

As a boy, Lal Bahadur loved reading books and wasfond of Guru Nanak’s verses. He revered BalGangadhar Tilak, the Indian nationalist, socialreformer and freedom fighter. Lal Bahadur listenedto the speech of Tilak when he visited Varanasi,which left strong impressions in the mind of LalBahadur and guided him all through his life. LalBahadur was greatly inspired when he heard aspeech of Gandhi in Varanasi in 1915. Then andthere he dedicated his life to the service of thecountry.

Youth and the Independence Struggle

Since his childhood, Lal Bahadur was aresponsible, disciplined and a simple person.During his young age, he was excited to hear aboutthe great martyrs and their sacrifices for thenation and was greatly influenced by the life andthoughts Guru Nanak, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, LalaLajpat Rai and Mahatma Gandhi. As a committedyoung man Lal Bahadur himself was ready tosacrifice his life for the freedom struggle and forthe independence of the nation. He participated inthe various movements launched by MahatmaGandhi for the political independence of the nationand imprisoned seven times during the period of1921 to 1945.

Mahatma Gandhi

Lal Bahadur took a keen interest in MahatmaGandhi’s non-cooperation movement and when thetime came to boycott the schools, he did so by notappearing for his examinations. With just one yearleft for his graduation, the news was not taken wellat home. None supported Lal Bahadur’s action, buthis mother who had complete faith in him,supported his decision as long as he promised notto renege from the task later. With his mother’sblessings, he became fully involved in the non-cooperation movement. He was arrested for takingpart in banned processions but released since itwas his first offence. This was to be the first ofmany arrests for Lal Bahadur. He worked duringthe evenings in a Khadi shop and studied whilestudying for the Degree of Shastri (Bachelor) inPhilosophy. Lal Bahadur graduated at the head ofhis class.

He then went on to do social work among the


Harijans, working to make their livesbetter. Two years later he marriedLalita Devi. Lal Bahadur and Lalitamoved to Allahabad where Lal Bahadurserved as secretary of the DistrictCongress Committee. He attended the1929 Lahore session of the Congress,and upon his return to Allahabadactively spoke out against the BritishRaj and for “Purna Swaraj”. As protestscontinued more and more people werearrested for participating in thestruggle. When Lalita Devi mentioned toLal Bahadur that the jails were full, hereplied in his characteristic fashion, “Yes, butthere is still room for me.” He was arrested a fewdays later. During his stay in jail his wife gave birthto their first child Kusum. He had two otherchildren, Hari and Suman.

Freedom Struggle

His total commitment to Mahatma Gandhi and thenon-cooperation movement resulted in many jailterms. Since the Congress party was banned by theBritish Government, Lal Bahadur and hisassociates spent their time travelling around Indiaspreading Mahatma Gandhi’s message. He wassoon arrested for these activities, and jailed forseven months at an unknown location. Eighteenmonths later Lalita Devi was granted permission tomeet her husband.

Prime Minister of India

“We believe in peace and peaceful development, not only for ourselves but for people all over the world. Our main preoccupation is with economic and social development at home

and peace and friendship abroad”

Lal Bahadur was finally released from prison in1946. On August 15, 1947 India gainedindependence. Lal Bahadur was appointedMinister of Police in Nehru’s cabinet. In 1951Jawaharlal Nehru was re-elected Prime Minister fora second term, and Lal Bahadur was appointedGeneral Secretary of the Lok Sabha. While inNehru’s cabinet, Lal Bahadur was entrusted withportfolios for Minister of Railways, Minister ofCommunications and later Home Minister. Heserved as Nehru’s right hand. On May 27, 1964Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru died. May of that year LalBahadur Shastri became India’s second PrimeMinister. His term is best known for introducingmeasures to make India self-sufficient in foodproduction.

Pakistan War and Tashkent

In 1965 Pakistan attacked India on the Kashmirifront and Lal Bahadur Shastri responded in kind by

punching toward Lahore.

If Pakistan has any ideas of annexingany part of our territories by force, sheshould think afresh. I want to statecategorically that force will be metwith force and aggression against uswill never be allowed to succeed. -LalBahadur

In 1966 a cease-fire was issued as aresult of international pressure. LalBahadur Shastri went to Tashkent tohold talks with Ayub Khan and an

agreement was soon signed. Shastriji had sufferedheart attacks twice before. And during the periodof the Pakistan war and the following days, hisbody, already battered, had to bear a very heavystrain. At a time when the world sang his praisesas a hero, an incomparable patriot-hero and as thearchitect of peace, and just as he touched the peakof his life, Lal Bahadur passed away all toosuddenly. He came to power unexpectedly, and heleft the world equally suddenly. He signed the jointDeclaration on 10 January 1966. He died the samenight.

The news of Lal Bahadur Shastri’s death struckIndia like a bolt from the blue. The entire nationwas plunged in grief. Some people suspected foulplay also. Gone was the war hero and themessenger of peace, gone was the great statesmanwho restored to India her honour and self-respectin the assembly of nations. A tiny, tidy figure. Asoul that had lived in perfect purity of thought,word and deed. The very embodiment ofselflessness, detachment and simplicity. Such wasthis man who had lived in our midst. He belongs tothe race of the heroes of India.

Bharat Ratna

Lal Bahadur was a star of great brightness in thehistory of India. After his death the President ofIndia conferred on him, on behalf of the nation, theaward of ‘Bharat Ratna’; it was a most fitting. Asmall bodies but mighty man—so runs a Kannadaproverb. It applies to several great men. Shivajiwas not tall. But like a magnet he attracted peopleand organized and built a great empire. Napoleonwas short. But he shook the whole world. LalBahadur Shastri was not taller than those two; buthe was not second to them in greatness. Firmness,love of adventure, patience and skill inadministration were the hallmark of Lal BahadurShastri.

Source: www.liveindia.com, www.freeindia.org,www.lalbahadurshastri.ind.in, pictures: www.iloveindia.com

Lal Bahadur Shastri


A Tribute to a Great Teacher

Dr S. Radhakrishnan

“The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes,

and inspires his listener with the wish to teach himself.”

-Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Teachers or Gurus mold the lives that theyinfluence because the lessons learned fromteachers remain with their students throughoutlife. Teachers have an influencing role in the life ofevery student. They are like beacons of light,guiding us in the formative years of our life.Teachers mould us and in the process shape ourfuture. What we learn from our teachers remainswith us throughout our life. However we fail toshow our appreciation and gratitude for theiraltruistic devotion. Teachers do needencouragement and support from the communityto feel that their efforts are being recognized. Toserve the purpose, Teacher’s Day is celebratedthroughout the world, year by year. By celebratingNational Teacher’s Day, we thank our teachers forproviding us their invaluable guidance. Teacher’sDay is a tribute to the hard work and devotion ofthe teachers all year long, to educate us.

In India, Teacher’s Day (also called Teachers’Appreciation Day or National Teacher’s Day) iscelebrated on 5th of September, every year. Thedate was selected, because it is the birthday of atimeless teacher and the former President ofIndia—Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. When some ofhis students and friends approached him andrequested him to allow them to celebrate his

birthday, he said, “instead of celebrating mybirthday separately, it would be my proudprivilege, if September 5th is observed asTeacher’s day”. From then onwards, the 5th ofSeptember has been observed as Teachers Day, inIndia.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teacha man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.That’s exactly what a teacher has done for us andwe celebrate this joyous occasion in remembranceof the greatest teachers of India on his birthday.—Dr S. Radhakrishnan.

Teachers have an influencing role in the life ofevery student. They are like beacons of light,guiding us in the formative years of our life.Teachers mould us and in the process and shapeour future. What we learn from our teachersremains with us, throughout our life. However,very often, we fail to show our appreciation andgratitude for their altruistic devotion. Teachers doneed encouragement and support from thecommunity to feel that their efforts are beingrecognized. To serve the purpose, Teacher’s Day iscelebrated throughout the world, year by year. Bycelebrating National Teacher’s Day, we thank ourteachers for providing us their invaluableguidance.

According to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, FormerPresident of India,

‘Teachers Should Be Role Models’.‘A student spends25,000 hours in the campus. The school must havethe best of teachers who have the ability to teach,

love teaching and build moral qualities.’

To celebrate Teacher’s day cultural programs areheld, which include singing competitions, danceand play performances. The students offer flowers,greeting cards and gifts as the token of affection,to the teachers. The latest trend is to organizeTeacher’s Day party. Students are keen aboutthrowing a lavish party for their teachers, to showhow much they care and respect them.

Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan

Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5September, 1888 in Tirutani, a well-known religiouscentre in the Madras State. He was the second sonof Veera Samayya, a tehsildar in a Zamindari

-Vice President of India (1952–1962), President of India (1962–1967)


hailing from a middle-class, respectable HinduBrahmin family.

Radhakrishnan was married in 1906, at the tenderage of 18 and while still a student, toSivakamamma, and spent a happy married life withher for fifty years before she died in 1956. Brightand precocious, with a scholarly disposition and aserene demeanour, from the very beginning,Radhakrishnan spent the first eight years of his lifehappily and fruitfully in his home town with hisparents. The tranquil and challenging atmosphereof that famous and well-loved place, as well as thebenign influence of his parents who, as wascommon in the South, were intensely religious inthe traditional sense, went far in moulding hischaracter and sowing a lively seed of religiousnessin him.

The far-sightedness and broad-mindedness of hisrevered parents to send their son to well-disciplined Christian educational institutions—held him in good stead throughout, making itpossible for him to acquire specially Occidentalvices like a sense of duty, punctuality, disciplineand the like, together with specially Orientalqualities of religiosity, calmness, patience, faith inGod and men.

He studied Sanskrit and Hindi also and garnered agood deal of interest in the traditional languages ofIndia. He also read the Vedas and the Upanishadswith great care and reverence.

In fact, Radhakrishnan was, and is, still today, areader in the true sense of the word. For, what heread—and he read widely and lovingly all kinds ofgood books—did not remain an externalacquisition, an ornamental decoration, with him;but blossomed forth in him in fullest glory andgrandeur.

For, all throughout his brilliant career, honour afterhonour was showered on him.

Radhakrishnan was, and still is, one of the mostcelebrated writers of the present generation. Hisworks are many and varied on philosophical,theological, ethical, educational, social andcultural subjects. He contributed also numerousarticles to different well-known journals, whichtoo, will prove to be of immense value togenerations to come.

His articles are not merely outer expressions of hisinner thoughts, but, what is more, infinitely more,emblems and embodiments of his very life—lifethat merrily dances forth in the fortuitous, zig-zagway of the world, removing all its obstacles in itsown inner irresistible urge and boundlessboldness. Hence, it is that his works, written in anincredibly simple, sublime, soft and serene way,

are so very enchanting,enlivening, exhilarating toall. As a matter of fact, as iswell known, it is verydifficult to express veryabstract and abstrusephilosophical thoughts ineasily intelligible andenchantingly sweetlanguage. But DrRadhakrishnan, like thegreat and reveredRabindranath, is one of the fewwho could accomplish this apparently impossiblefeat. That is why his philosophical writings are notordinary scholarly dissertations, but alsomelodious poetical perfections of great andpermanent value.

Dynamic in personality, quiet in demeanour,austere in habits, unostentatious in behaviour, justin decision, prompt in action, simple in his dress,sympathetic in his dealings—such is our reveredDr Radhakrishnan. He is a living, loving symboland lovely emblem of our age-old Indian cultureand civilization. Nothing much need be said hereregarding his ideas and attitude towards differentissues. For, the central refrain of his Life’s Musicreverberates through every walk of his blessed life.That is why he is a Monist in Philosophy, believingin one Reality, viz., Spirit; a Monotheist in Religion,believing in one God; an Eudemonist orPerfectionist in Ethics, believing in innerperfection as the summum bonum or the highestend of life; a Socialist in Politics, believing in massor universal uplift.

Radhakrishnan is considered as the greatest livingphilosopher of India, and one of the greatest livingphilosophers of the world. This proves beyonddoubt that he is universally considered to be oneamongst the most notable of modern philosophicalluminaries.

According to our Indian view, the highest aim ofhuman life is to be, step by step, a ‘Brahmachari’(or one who lives and moves about and believes inBrahman), a ‘Brahmajnani’ (or one who knowsBrahman or the Absolute) and finally, a‘Brahmavadin’ (or one who speaks or writes aboutBrahman or the Absolute). Dr Radhakrishnan—himself a real ‘Brahmachari’, a real‘Brahmajnani’—subscribed to this theory all alonghis life. Dr Radhakrishnan is, indeed, a versatilegenius—a great scholar, philosopher, seer, writer,orator, statesman, administrator and above all, agreat man.

Source: www.living.oneindia.in,www.iloveindia.com, pictures:vicepresidentofindia.nic.in


“Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.”

-Kent M. Keith

Our medical scare system tries to rope you intotheir basket by frightening you with words likesilent killer high blood pressure, silent killerdiabetes, etc. almost daily. The truth is otherwise.The silent killer is your own mind.

Where is the mind? All over you, indeed! Mind isyour own consciousness.

Consciousness is fundamental and all else isderived from that, is the opinion of one of the greatbrains in physics, Max Planck.

Human body, is therefore, the extension of or theother name for the human mind. “Cogito ergosum”—“I think, therefore, I am” was the rightproclamation of Rene Descartes back in theeighteenth century, although he meant it for theopposite reasons to divide the human body intotwo parts—the thinking part (res Cogitans) and theother part (res Extensa).

That is where our curse began of reductionism—science started looking at bits and pieces tounderstand the whole. With all the wonderfuladvances in modern day physics of (w) holism,medical science still looks at bits and pieces,becoming a bane to society.

Charles Sherrington, a Nobel winning physiologist,became the professor of physiology in 1899 whenhe admitted that “positive sciences do not andcannot answer the question “why”.

That was precisely how silent killer hypertensionetc. originated. Today with the understanding of (w)holism we are able to ask the pertinent question asto ‘why does the blood pressure goes up in the firstplace’? Here I am not referring to the diseasesecondary hypertension where we know the causefor elevated BP. I am talking of what modernmedicine calls primary or essential hypertension.

Similarly we now know why the sugar or cholesterolgoes up, again excluding primary type I diabetes.Now the reader will have to understand elementaryhuman physiology. We have a healer inside uswhich is the most powerful healer and the bestdoctor in the world called the immune system. Thishas to be kept in its best mode all the time.

While we were hunger gatherers in the forest ouronly cause of premature death was predation.Nature then endowed us with a very intelligentextra system called the autonomic nervous systemwhich would keep us going when we are seriouslyinjured as we did not have the intensive care unitsthen. What the intensive care unit does was beingdone by the autonomic nervous system in a betterway. It could close up cut vessels, make the bloodclot there, get our blood pressure up when it goesdown and see that the vital organs get enoughblood by redistributing blood more efficiently.

In case we see a tiger the same system would makeus capable of running away from danger byelevating our blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol andother sterols as life saving measure.

Now that we are in a (un) civilised world with ourrat race to make money and get positions, we haveto deal with human tigers every day.

Many a time these tigers live with us as our nearand dear ones. We are yet to evolve to get rid of theautonomic nervous system and that might takemillions of years of evolution.

As of now we get the flight-fight-fright reaction ofthe forest tiger sighting with the same biochemicalreactions and consequent altered blood parametersand BP rise.

While in the forest the elevated levels used to beburnt up to give us energy to run.

Today we cannot run away from the human tigers.On a chronic basis we accumulate these elevatedblood parameters and become hypertensive,diabetic, and what have you. So it is not theelevated blood pressure, which wags its tail silentkiller. It is the abnormal consciousness of fear, fightreaction of human mind that does the trick.

Unfortunately in reductionist medicine we do notlook at the whole and try to deal with the endresult, maybe BP going up or cholesterol. Cancer isanother killer. Cancer cells are normal body cellsthat fail to die on their appointed time by apoptosis

The Real SilentKiller—Your OwnMind


(normal programmed cell death) and mutate tobecome rogue cells. They are a bunch of jobless,aimless, wandering cells that might eventuallybecome clinical cancers weeks, months or evenyears after they get formed in the first place.

So if we can screen for rogue cells all of us will havemany potential cancers inside us every day. Why dothese cells grow to be cancers in some but die away inthe majority? Here again the culprit is our mind.Negative thoughts like hatred, jealousy, and anger andpride help the cells to grow to be cancers while love,camaraderie, sharing and caring (otherwise calledspirituality) would try and destroy those rogue cells.Abnormal over eating is another trigger for cancercells to grow. Frugal diet might not encourage them.

Modern medicine is now recognising hostility as themain culprit in heart attacks and anger inhaemorrhagic strokes. Depression with frustrationdoes bring on cancer and all other killer diseases intheir wake. We all know how to keep our body cleanbut many of us do not know how to keep our mindsclean and devoid of all the negative dangerousthoughts. Every thought gets translated into apowerful chemical in the body to do all the damage orgood depending on the thought being either negativeor positive. How then do we do control our thoughts?

That is the job of the true educational systemwhich, unfortunately we had completely destroyedin India, thanks to our colonial masters who wantedto keep us under their thumb.

Every new born child is a genius and a Godlyperson only to be converted into an idiot and adevil in the present schooling system wherenegative thoughts and competition are taught.

From day one in school these innocentcompassionate children are graded with ranks andmarks and are made to be aware of theirindividuality. The altruistic “we” concept getstransformed into the dangerous egoistic “I”concept. That leads to illness in later life while WEwould have encouraged wellness.

Education must make healthy minds and not justwealthy careers. Healthy mind is defined as thatwhich has “enthusiasm to work and enthusiasm tobe compassionate”.

Indian Sanathana dharma, which goes back to timesout of mind, has had all those beautiful ideas butwas all but removed from the educational arena. Westill follow the British model in our schools and

colleges while Britain is slowly taking ideas fromour ancient system. Schools in London are trying toteach Sanskrit, a fully developed ancient languageof India.

Let us be human and humane in our socialintercourse for us to develop a healthy mind whichis the best vaccination for all killer diseases and themercury containing chemical vaccines that we loadour children with. Another one of thosereductionist ideas.

Even Adam Smith had defined education as thatrocks which trains a man to act “justly, skilfully andmagnanimously under all circumstances of war andpeace”. This world runs through yourconsciousness. Matter comes into existence whenobserved by you. This new concept is called biocentrism, a brain child of that great thinkerphysician Robert Lanza.

“The truth can only offend those who live a lie!”-Anon

-B.M. Hegde, MD, FRCP,FRCPE, FRCPG, FACC,FAMS. Padma Bhushanawardee 2010. Editor-in-chief, The Journal of theScience of HealingOutcomes; Chairman,State Health Society’sExpert Committee, Govt.of Bihar, Patna. FormerProf. Cardiology, TheMiddlesex Hospital Medical School, University ofLondon; Affiliate Prof. of Human Health,Northern Colorado University; Retd. ViceChancellor, Manipal University, Chairman,Bhavan’s Mangalore Kendra.

Source: Bhavan’s Journal, August 31, 2014


Cairns Festival, North Queensland—30Aug-7 Sept 2014

Cairns Festival is one of Australia’s leadingdiverse cultural festivals and is a showcase for theregion both nationally and internationally,featuring a program of creative, cultural andsporting events across a three-week period.

Alice Desert Festival, Northern Territories—10-14 Sept 2014

The Alice Desert Festival is Central Australia’sarts and cultural festival, celebrating the desertand the diversity of people that live here. Thefestival shares the stories, songs and the uniquelifestyle of Central Australia’s arid region.

Eden Whale Festival, NSW—22 Sep-23 Oct 2014

The Eden Whale Festival is an annual event,highlighting the southern migration of thehumpback and other whales. The whales can beseen in large numbers in the Twofold Bay for oneto get up close and personal with thesemagnificent animals.

Melbourne Festival, VIC—10-26 October 2014

Melbourne International Arts Festival nowcommonly known as Melbourne Festival is one ofAustralia’s leading international arts festivalspresenting unique international and Australianevents in the fields of dance, theatre, music, visualarts, multimedia and other outdoor events.

Source: www.festivalaustralia.com.au,pictures: www.cairnsblog.net,www.alicedesertfestival.com.au,www.edenwhalefestival.com.au,www.melbournefestival.com.au

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam“The Whole world is but one family”

Festivals of the Month-Australia

Cairns Festival Alice Desert Festival

Eden Whale Festival Melbourne Festival


Teacher’s Day—5 Sept 2014

A good teacher is like a candle—it consumes itself to light the way for others.

5 September is celebrated as Teacher’s Day as amark of tribute to the contribution made byteachers to the society. 5th September is thebirthday of a great teacher Dr. SarvapalliRadhakrishnan, who was a staunch believer ofeducation, and was the well-known diplomat,scholar, President of India and above all aTeacher.

Onam—7 Sept 2014

Onam Festival, a festival of Kerala marks thecommemoration of Vamana Avatara of Vishnu andthe subsequent homecoming of mythical KingMahabali.

Navratri—25 Sept – 3 Oct 2014

Navratri, the festival of nine nights is dedicated toGoddess Durga and her nine forms.

Dusshera—3 Oct 2014

Dusshera also called Vijaya Dashami is acelebration of victory of good over evil. Thecelebrations starting from Navratri ends with thetenth day festival of Dussehra celebrating thetriumph of Lord Rama over Demon Ravana and ofGoddess Durga over the buffalo demon,Mahishasura.

Id-ul-Zuha (Bakr-Id)—6 Oct 2014

Eid-ul-Zuha, also known as Eid-ul-Adha, Bakra-Id iscelebrated to commemorate the sacrifice ofProphet Ibrahim, who willingly agreed to kill hisson at the behest of God. This festival coincideswith the Haj pilgrimage in Mecca. Prayers areoffered in the mosques and the sacrificial meat isthen distributed after the Id prayers.

Diwali/Deepavali—23 Oct 2014

Diwali also known as the “festival of lights”, is anancient Hindu festival spiritually signifying thevictory of light over darkness, knowledge overignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair.

Source: www.festivalsofindia.in,www.panchangam.org,www.hindudevotionalblog.com,www.drikpanchang.com, pictures:www.happydiwalifestival.in,www.onamfestival.org, www.navratri.org,www.sacredsites.com

India Tourism Sydney

Festivals of the Month-India

Teacher’s Day Onam Navratri

Dusshera DiwaliId-ul-Zuha


My own life in India, since I came to it in 1893 to make it my home, has been devoted

to one purpose, to give back to India her ancient freedom.

-Annie Besant

Dr Annie Besant is one of those foreigners whoinspired the love of the country among Indians.She declared in 1918 in her paper “New India”:“I love the Indian people as I love none other,and... my heart and my mind... have long beenlaid on the altar of the Motherland.” AnnieBesant, born of Irish parents in London onOctober 1, 1847, made India her home fromNovember, 1893. Dr Besant, said MahatmaGandhi, awakened India from her deep slumber.Before she came to India, Dr Besant passedthrough several phases of life—housewife,propagator of atheism, trade unionist, feministleader and Fabian Socialist. By 1889, “there wasscarcely any modern reform (in England) forwhich she had not worked, written spoken andsuffered.”Dr Besant started the Home RuleLeague in India for obtaining the freedom of thecountry and reviving the country’s gloriouscultural heritage. She started a paper called“New India.” She attended the 1914 session ofthe Indian National Congress and presided overit in 1917.

No philosophy, no religion, has ever broughtso glad a message to the world as this goodnews of Atheism.

A Born Orator

Liberty is a great celestial Goddess, strong,beneficent, and austere, and she can neverdescend upon a Nation by the shouting ofcrowds, nor by the arguments of unbridledpassion, nor by the hatred of class against class.

An orator and writer with poetictemperament, Dr Besant was a veritabletornado of power and passion. By hereloquence, firmness of convictions and uttersincerity she attracted some of the best mindsof the country for the national cause. She waslargely responsible for the upbringing of theworld renowned philosopher K. Krishnamurti.

Early Life

Annie Wood was born in 1847 in London into amiddle-class family of Irish origin. Annie wasalways proud of being Irish and supported thecause of Irish self-rule throughout her adultlife. Her father died when she was young and

left the family almost penniless. Annie’smother was forced to support the family byrunning a boarding house for boys at Harrow.She raised the money for a private tutor forAnnie in this way. Annie was educatedprivately by a female tutor as an EvangelicalChristian. She was given a strong sense of dutyto society and an equally strong sense of whatindependent women could achieve.

Married Life

Annie was married in 1867 in Hastings, Sussex,to 26-year-old clergyman Frank Besant,younger brother of Walter Besant. Themarriage was, however, a disaster. The firstconflict came over money and Annie’sindependence. Annie wrote short stories,books for children and articles. Frank took allthe money she made: married women did nothave the right to own property. Politicsfurther divided the couple. Annie began tosupport farm workers who were fighting tounionise and to win better conditions. Frankwas a Tory and sided with the landlords andfarmers. The tension came to a head whenFrank struck Annie. She left him and returnedto London. Annie was to remain Mrs Besantfor the rest of her life.

The Social Activist

Every person, every race, every nation, has itsown particular keynote which it brings to thegeneral chord of life and of humanity.

Annie fought for the causes she thought wereright, starting with freedom of thought,women’s rights, secularism, birth control,Fabian socialism and workers’ rights. Oncefree of Frank Besant and exposed to new

Annie Besant

Annie BesantAnnie Besant


currents of thought, Annie began to question notonly her long-held religious beliefs but also thewhole of conventional thinking. She began to writeattacks on the Churches and the way theycontrolled people’s lives. In particular she attackedthe status of the Church of England as a state-sponsored faith.

Fabian Society and Socialist

That is the true definition of sin; when knowingright you do the lower, ah, then you sin. Wherethere is no knowledge, sin is not present.

For Annie, politics, friendship and love were alwaysclosely intertwined. Her decision in favour ofSocialism came about through a close relationshipwith George Bernard Shaw, a struggling young Irishauthor living in London, and a leading light of theFabian Society. Annie was impressed by his work.Shaw sponsored Annie to join the Fabian Society. Inits early days, the Society was a gathering ofpeople exploring spiritual, rather than political,alternatives to the capitalist system.

Unemployment was a central issue of the time, andin 1887 some of the London unemployed started tohold protests in Trafalgar Square. Annie agreed toappear as a speaker at a meeting on 13 November.The police tried to stop the assembly. Fightingbroke out, and troops were called. Many were hurt,one man died, and hundreds were arrested. Annieoffered herself for arrest, but the police refused totake the bait.

The events created a great sensation, and thenewspapers dubbed it ‘Bloody Sunday’. Annie waswidely blamed for it. She threw herself intoorganising legal aid for the jailed workers andsupport for their families. Socialists saw the tradeunions as the first real signs of working people’sability to organise and fight for themselves. Untilnow, trade unions had been for skilled workers—men with a craft that might take years to acquireand which gave them at least a little security. TheSocialists wanted to bring both unskilled men andwomen into unions to fight for better pay andconditions.

Her most notable victory in this period was herinvolvement in the London matchgirls strike of1888. Annie was drawn into this first reallyimportant battle of the ‘New Unionism’ by HerbertBurrows, a young socialist. He had made contactwith workers at Bryant and May’s match factory inBow, London, who were mainly young women.They were very poorly paid. They were also prey tohorrendous industrial illnesses, like the bone-rotting Phossy jaw, which were caused by thechemicals used in match manufacture. Some of thematch workers asked for help from Burrows andAnnie in setting up a union.

Annie met the women and set up a committee,which led the women into a strike for better payand conditions. The action won enormous publicsupport. Annie led demonstrations by ‘match-girls’. They were cheered in the streets, andprominent churchmen wrote in their support. Injust over a week they forced the firm to improvepay and conditions. Annie then helped them toset up a proper union and a social centre.

At the time, the matchstick industry was animmensely powerful lobby, since electric lightwas not yet widely available, and matches wereessential for lighting candles, oil lamps, gaslights and so on. Besant’s campaign was the firsttime anyone had successfully challenged thematch manufacturers on a major issue, and wasseen as a landmark victory of the early years ofBritish Socialism.

Servant of Humanity

Never yet was a nation born that did not begin inthe spirit, pass to the heart and the mind, andthen take an outer form in the world of men.

Annie Besant fought for the causes she thoughtwere right. She became interested in Theosophyas a way of knowing God. Theosophical Societywas against discrimination of race, color, genderand preached Universal brotherhood. To servehumanity at large was its supreme goal. It was asa member of Theosophical Society of India thatshe arrived in India in 1893. She toured the entirecountry of India. It gave her first-handinformation about India and middle-class Indianswho were affected more by British rule and itssystem of education. Her long-time interest ineducation resulted in the founding of the CentralHindu College at Benares (1898). She alsobecame involved in Indian freedom movement. In1916, she founded Home Rule League whichadvocated self rule by Indians. She became thePresident of Indian National Congress in 1917.She was the first woman to hold that post.

Death

Never forget that life can only be nobly inspiredand rightly lived if you take it bravely andgallantly, as a splendid adventure in which youare setting into an unknown country, to facemany a danger, to meet many a joy, to find manya comrade, to win and lose many a battle.

Annie Besant died on September 20, 1933 atAdyar (Madras), India.

Source: www.liveindia.com, pictures: www.ts-adyar.org


Radhakrishnan, in his well-known book ‘Religionand Culture’ remarks, “The need for religion for asystem of thought, for devotion to a cause whichwill give our fragile and fugitive existencesignificance and value does not need muchelaborate argument. It is an intrinsic element ofhuman nature. The question is what kind ofreligion? Is it a religion of love and brotherhood orof power and hate? Secular ideologies ask us toworship religion or no religion but what kind ofreligion? “Religions which make for division,discord and disintegration and do not foster unity,understanding and coherence, play into the handsof the opponents of religion”. The necessity for areligion which clearly satisfies the aboverequirements is the need of the hour. Toleranceand acceptance of other religions are the primerequisites. India is a multi-lingual country and hasin its fold, at present, eight different religions. Theyare, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism,Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism and Judaism.The religions Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism areoff shoots of Hinduism and thus indigenous to thecountry. The other four are of foreign origin.Judaism was the first to arrive in the country.While the religions preach love, compassion,universal brotherhood etc, sometimes passionslead to community clashes, emphasising the needfor inter-religious understanding.

Hinduism

Hinduism is the main religion of our country, India.It will perhaps be more apt to add that Hinduism isa doctrine and way of life. The words Hindu andHinduism are not Indian in origin. Hinduism is thepopular name given to the most ancient of all theliving religions today and therefore the mother ofall religions; Sanatana Dharma, a religion based onthe eternal principles of truth and values in life.

Vedanta is the best among the names given to thereligious faith of the Hindus. Asia comprises halfthe population of the world and here the religionsand moral ideas followed are mostly those thatoriginated in India. It is true, ours is a secular statebut that does not imply that the majority of thepeople following Hinduism should give up thespiritual and moral doctrines in which they havebeen brought up and which forms the basis of theirculture. Hinduism derives its strength from thegreat and sacred literature, the Vedas andUpanishads, the most ancient literature of man.They deal with the fundamental values of life. Whatis man? What is the nature of this Universe.

What is the destiny of man? What is therelationship between man and man? Thesequestions, which concern the mystery of existence

were answered by the seers and sages as a result ofstudy, and contemplation. Great sages discoveredsuch truths as the spiritual relationship betweensoul and soul, between individual spirit and thefather of all spirits etc. and invite us to follow themand have these truths tested by ourselves. “It isopen to every one of us to enter into this greatdiscipline, this great spiritual adventure in thecontext of our daily life”. Hinduism says “Man isessentially Divine; hence the possibility of itsexperience or realisation”. The ‘ATMAN’ has to berealised and “this is the very centre, very vitalconception of Hinduism” said Vivekananda. Thusthe whole concept of Hinduism is a constantstruggle to become perfect, to become Divine, toreach God and to see God.

Max Muller says “It is surely astounding that such asystem as Vedanta should have been slowlyelaborated by the indefatigable and intrepidthinkers thousands of years ago, a system that evennow makes us feel giddy. None of our philosophers,not excepting Heriditus, Plato, Kant or Hegel hasventured to erect such a spire, never frightened bystorms and lightnings. Stone follows stone. But it isclearly seen that in the beginning, there can havebeen but one, as there will be, but one in the end,whether we call it Atman or Brahman”.

We have the following in the Kathopanishad. “Theself-existent Lord fashioned the sense organs andmind of man with the initial defect of an outgoingtendency. Therefore man saw things of the external(not self) world, but not the self within. A certainwise man, however, impelled by his desire to seekimmortality turned the direction of the energies ofhis senses and mind inward and realised thePratyayatman (the immortal and Divine inner self).Thus started man’s search for God, truth andfulfilment, forming a new science, Adyatmavidya,the science of the Atman “the science of the studyof man and in depth “the science of God” providinga contribution to human knowledge”.

The authoritative sources of Hinduism are theclassics, the Sruti and the Smrti. The four Vedasare the fountain head, the source of the religion.The secondary scriptures, the Smrtis, theIthihasas, the Puranas, the Agamas and theDarsanas are only developments of the Vedas. Themaking of man as a perfect spirit like God and onewith him, is the common aim of the scriptures.The formula for the Hindu view of life is theDharma-Artha-Kama-Moksha doctrine. Dharma isrighteousness; Artha wealth, Kama desire andMoksha the liberation of the spirit from the bondsof flesh. These four are the Purusharthas or theends of life. Artha and Kama are to be within thelimits of the Dharma law. “Thus Hinduism does

Indian Composite Culture—Religions


justice to the flesh as well as the spirit of man”.

The cardinal virtues are purity (Saucum), self-control (Samyama), detachment (Asanga orVairagya), truth (Satyam) and non-violence(Ahimsa). At the other end, the sins are six. Kama,Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and Matsarya, whichmust be avoided.

The spirit of tolerance, harmony of human life withall created beings, the true balancing of Dharma,Artha and Kama in this life, the cultivation of Dama,Dana and Daya as essential qualities of man, thebelief in the law of moderation; these are theaspects of Hinduism which are facing challengestoday in this age of modern, science and technologyworld; but their aspects will never diminish. Thereis a prevailing notion that the main teaching ofHinduism through Vedanta is retirement fromactivities of the world. Nothing can be further fromthe truth. Vedanta does advocate renunciation butthis renunciation is of attachment, not abstentionfrom work or duties. The much talked of wordSanyasa is meant only giving up of selfish desiresand not giving up action. “Vedanta lays the greatestemphasis on duties in co-operative life andactivities and in general interest. It produces theforce to reduce our selfishness, egoism, attachmentto pleasure and fear of pain”. Vedanta emphasisesthe clear distinction between the body (the ‘I’) andthe soul. A virtuous and pure heart is needed to seethe soul within us. The sages of yore first sought ananswer to the question ‘was there a first cause?’This has been raised in the sixth chapter of theChandogya Upanishad. The world surely did notcome out of nothing. The Sages believed that thecauseless beginning was Sat i.e. Being withconsciousness. This expanded and became light,sound, water and all living forms of the world.Vedanta has no quarrel with the biological theory ofevolution based on the spontaneous biogenesis oforganic matter. The unexplained factor whichbrought about this matter first is Sat.

The rather controversial doctrine in Hinduism isMaya. The mistaken impression given is that thedoctrine lays down that the world is not real. Farfrom truth. All the philosophers who stood by thedoctrine of Maya and taught it, definitely felt thatthe world is real. “They took this world and this lifeand the law of Karma to be hard realities. If theystill taught the doctrine of Maya, that everything isan illusion created by the Lord, it means that theapparent with its false values is different from thereal and nothing more. When we say ‘I want’, ‘Icame’ it is really the act of the soul that bringsabout the activities of the body. The Lord is areality and so too are the souls that are his bodies.The Paramatman, the overall soul, permeates andsupports all souls, but that does not mean that thelatter is unreal. Though the in-dwelling Atman isone and the same, each soul lives a life of separate

individuality without a sense of identity withothers. Herein is the illusion referred to as Maya; toovercome is the aim of the Vedanta” (Rajaji).

Attainment of Moksha is the aim of Hinduism.Moksha is not a place or place of pleasure. It is astate of freedom from the bondage of Maya. Whenthe realisation comes that the soul and the in-dwelling supreme soul are one and the same “theshadow merges in the light. This is Moksha. ThisSanskrit word means “liberation”. Purity of life andself-control qualify the individual soul to attain thisMoksha”. The Law of Karma, expounded forcibly inHinduism is the law of cause and effect. Just as inthe scientific world, we have the law of action andreaction so too in the spiritual world, the law ofKarma operates as the law of cause and effect. It iswrong to think of Karma as fatalism. “Fatalism isbreakdown of faith in human effort which is notinvolved in Vedanta. Karma is the unalterable lawof effect following previous causes.

References are available on request. (to be concluded...)

-Dr. J. Thuljaram Rao, anAgricultural Scientist withSugarcane Breeding Institute,Coimbatore, was associatedwith The Bharatiya VidyaBhavan at Coimbatore asHonorary Vice Chairman fora period of 22 years till 2003.During the 22 years, Dr. Raohad the unique opportunityto read the Bhavan’s Journalfrom 1956 for the last 50 years (the store houseof the history of Indian culture) covering over300 issues and books and understand thehistory of the culture of the country from RigVedic times to the present day with its ups anddowns in relation to social conditions.

Source: Cultural Heritage of India by Dr. J.Thuljaram Rao, Impress, Coimbatore, India,pictures: www.imgarcade.com,www.argawise.com


Maharshi Valmiki Jayanti

(Birth Anniversary)

Maharshi Valmiki Jayanti celebrates the birthday offamous poet Valmiki, who is also known as Adi kavior first poet as he discovered the first Sloka, the firstverse which set the base of Sanskrit poetry. It fallson the full moon day (Purnima) in the month ofAshwin. This day is especially very popular in theNorthern India and is known as “Pargat Diwas”.

The Ramayana

Valmiki is the author of the famous Hindu epicRamayana and one of the greatest saints of theancient world. Valmiki gave shelter to Sita in his ownashram and Luv-Kush were also born and broughtup here. His complete life and teachings have alwaysencouraged Humans to fight against the societyinjustice. In 2014, Valmiki Jayanti falls on 6 October.

The Sage Valmiki

One of the biggest contributions of sage Valmiki toHindus is the historic epic of Ramayana. OriginallyRamayana was written in Sanskrit, by Valmiki inform of slokas and is known as Valmiki Ramayana. Itcontained 24,000 verses. The Valmiki Ramayana isdated variously from 500 BC to 100 BC, but, overyears as there have been many interpolations andredactions it is nearly impossible to date its originaccurately. There is also a religious movementcalled Valmikism that is solely based on Valmiki’steachings and principles.

Early Life

Maharishi Valmiki was born as Ratnakara to sagePrachetasa. At a very young age he went to theforest and got lost. A hunter that was passing bysaw him and took him under his own care, over theyears he forgot his original parents under theparenthood of his newly found parents. Later whenhe grew up, he was married to a girl from a hunter’sfamily. Being bought up in a poor hunter’s family, hedidn’t have any measures to feed his family, so hestarted to hunt in the forests. He robbed the peoplepassing through the forests.

Saint Narada

One day when saint Narada was passing by theforest, he was attacked by Ratnakar. While Narada

was playing his Veena and praising Lord Rama, hesaw a transformation in Ratnakar. He then askedRatnakar, if whether the family for which he wasrobbing others, will share his sins also. Ratnakarwent to his home and asked the same question tohis family, to which he received a negative answer.

He immediately went back to Narada, Who taughthim to meditate with chanting the name of LordRama, till he came back. Ratnakar got so immersedin the mediation over years that when Naradareturned, he saw that Ratnakar was totally coveredby ant-hills. He immediately removed all the ant-hillsfrom his body and told Ratnakar that his Tapasyahas paid off and that the Lord was pleased with him.Ratnakara was bestowed with the honour of aBrahmarshi and given the name of Valmiki, since hewas reborn from the Valmika (the ant-hill). SageValmiki founded his ashram at the banks of RiverGanga.

Ramayana

One day when in the ashram of Valmiki, Naradanarrated him the story of Lord Rama. After thatValmiki received a vision from Brahma in which the

Maharshi Valmiki


lord instructed him to write Ramayana in form ofslokas, which he obediently followed.

First Sloka

Valmiki composed the first ever sloka of Sanskritliterature. History dates that once Valmiki went nearriver Ganga for his daily chores, a disciple namedBharadwaja was carrying his clothes. Passingthrough the Tamasa Stream, Valmiki remarked that“the water looks so clean like a good man’s mind; Iwant to bathe here today.”

Just at that point he heard two birds chirpingmerrily, he felt very serene at the glance of a happyand joyous couple. Suddenly, one of them fell down;hit by an arrow, a hunter had shot the bird for hisfood. The bird left alive was crying with agony,Valmiki felt terrible grief at the sight and plight ofthat bird, and uttered the following words:

maa nishhaada pratishthaamtvamagamah shaashvatiih samaahyat krauncha mithunaat ekamavadhiih kaama mohitam

“Oh! Ill-fated Hunter, by which reason you havekilled one male bird of the couple, When it is in itslustful passion, thereby you will get an ever-lastingreputation for ages to come...

This was the first Sloka of Sanskrit literature.

Valmiki Ashram

A Valmiki temple is called Ashram, Which means amonastery, which means a communal house forValmiki’s. Each such Ashram is dedicated toattracting devotees’ concentration and to spread theteachings of Ramayana. All Valmiki ashrams have aspecial flag called a Nishan Sahib that is placesoutside like any other place of worship. The Bowand arrow depict the disciples of Valmiki, namelyLuv and Kush. Many devotees are suggested thatwhen the distance of ashram seems unreachable tothem, they can simply have a copy of Ramayanaplaced in their houses.

All Valmiki Ashram’s have common features. Forinstance, the place of worship is always in a special

room and there are number of other rooms’ set-aside for special purposes. There is a Langar hallwhere all the devotees congregate for a meal, thecommunity kitchen where devotees help to preparefood for the Langar. There is a classroom and librarywhere the Ramayana is stocked for study and isused for teaching young children apart from a musicroom where musical instruments such as the Tablaare taught and hymns are practiced for worship.Everyone sits on the floor to show that everyone isequal in the eyes of God, regardless of whether theycome from a rich or poor background.

Celebrations

Valmiki was truly a Maharshi. “He was purity,penance, benevolence and meditation personifiedand the sole object of his dedication andcontemplation was Man, a man leaves his selfishexistence and lives for others identifying himselfwith the composite culture of the cosmic creation.”

Valmiki Jayanti is celebrated with great enthusiasm.Maharshi Valmiki is worshipped and prayed on thisday. Shobha yatras, meetings and distribution of freefood is arranged in many places. Many devotees alsotake out processions in honour of Maharshi Valmiki,and offer prayers to his portrait.

There are many Valmiki temples in India, Which arebeautifully decorated with flowers and prayers areoffered in them, number of incense being lighted fillthe atmosphere with purity and happiness. Manydevotees go to Lord Rama temples and recite versesfrom Ramayana in memory of Maharshi Valmiki.Maharshi Valmiki Jayanti is celebrated withimmense joy and excitement in Madhya Pradesh.There are many temples dedicated to Valmiki. Thecelebrations start early in the morning as peoplefrom far and wide gather at the temples with flowersand other offerings for the sage. People read versesfrom Ramayana and worship Valmiki along with LordRama.

Source: www.festivalsofindia.in,www.indiafun.net, www.hinduism.about.com,pictures: www.krishnasmercy.org


Who is Responsible for the

Decay of Varna Dharma

Politicians and intellectuals alike say that jati is partof an uncivilized system. Why? Who is responsiblefor the disintegration of so worthy an arrangementas Varna Dharma?

These are questions that I raised earlier and I shalltry to answer them. The wrong ideas that havedeveloped about Varna Dharma must be ascribed tothe Brahmins themselves. They are indeedresponsible for the decay of an ages-old system thatcontributed not only to our Atmic advancement butalso to the well-being of the nation as well as of allmankind.

The Brahmin relinquished the duties of his birth—the study of the Vedas and performance of the riteslaid down in the Vedic tradition. He left hisbirththplace, the village, for the town. He croppedhis hair and started dressing in European style.Giving up the Vedas, he took to the mundanelearning of the West. He fell to the lure of jobsoffered by his white master and aped him in dress,manners and attitudes. He threw to the winds thenoble dharma he had inherited from the Vedic seersthrough his forefathers and abandoned all for amess of pottage. He was drawn to everythingWestern, science, life-style, entertainment.

The canonical texts have it that the Brahmin musthave no love for money, that he must notaccumulate wealth. So long as he followed hisdharma, as prescribed by the sastras, and so long ashe chanted the Vedas and performed sacrifices, hebrought good to the world, and all other castesrespected him and treated him with affection. In factthey looked upon him as a guide and model.

Others now observed how the Brahmin hadchanged, how his life-style become different with allits glitter and show and how he went about with allthe pretence of having risen on the scale ofcivilization. The Brahmin had been an ideal for themin all that is noble, but now he strayed from the pathof dharma; and following his example they too gaveup their traditional vocations that had brought themhappiness and contentment and left their nativevillage to settle in towns. Like the Brahmin theybecame keen to learn English and secure jobs in thegovernment.

For thousands of years the Brahmin had beenengaged in Atmic pursuit and intellectual work. In

the beginning all his mental faculties were employedfor the welfare of society and not in the least for hisown selfish advancement. Because of this very spiritof self-sacrifice, his intelligence became sharp like arazor constantly kept honed. Now the welfare ofsociety is no longer the goal of his efforts and hisintelligence has naturally dimmed due to hisselfishness and interest in things worldly. He hadbeen blessed with a bright intellect and he had thegrace of the Lord to carry out the duties of his birth.Now, after forsaking his dharma, it is natural that hisintellectual keenness should become blunted.

Due to sheer momentum the bicycle keeps goingsome distance even after you stop pedalling.Similarly, though the Brahmin seeks knowledge ofmundane subjects instead of inner light, he retainsyet a little intellectual brightness as a result of the“pedalling” done by his forefathers. It is because ofthis that he has been able to achieve remarkableprogress in Western learning also. He has acquiredexpert knowledge in the practices of the West, in itslaw and its industries. Indeed he has gained suchinsights into these subjects and mastered their finerpoints so remarkably well that he can give lessonsto the white man himself in them.

A question that arises in this context is how Vedicstudies which had not suffered much even duringMuslim rule received a severe set-back with theadvent of the European. One reason is the impact ofthe new sciences and the machines that came withthe white man. Granted that many a truth wasrevealed through these sciences—and this was all tothe good up to a point. But we must remember that

CandrasekharendraSaraswati


the knowledge of a subject per se is one thing andhow we use it in practice is another.

The introduction of steam power and electricitymade many types of work easier but it also meantcomforts hitherto unthought of to gratify the senses.If you keep pandering to the senses more and morenew desires are engendered. This will mean theproduction of an increasing number of objects ofpleasure. The more we try to obtain sensualpleasure the more we will cause injury to ourinnermost being. The new pleasures that could behad with scientific development and theintroduction of machines were an irresistible lure forthe Brahmin as they were to other communities.Another undesirable product of the sciencesbrought by the white man was rationalism whichundermined people’s faith in religion and persuadedsome to believe that the religious truths that arebased on faith and are inwardly experienced arenothing but deception.

The man who did not give up his duties even duringMuslim rule now abandoned them for the new-foundpleasures and comforts. He dressed more smartlythan the Englishman, smoked cigarettes and evenlearned to dance like his white master. Those whothus became proficient in the arts of the white manwere rewarded with jobs.

Now occurred the biggest tragedy. Up till now allmembers of society had their hereditary jobs to doand they did not have to worry about theirlivelihood. Now, with the example of the Brahminbefore them, members of other castes also gave uptheir traditional occupations for the jobs madeavailable by the British in the banks, railways,collectorates, etc. With the introduction ofmachinery our handicrafts fell into decay and manyof our artisans had to look for other means oflivelihood. In the absence of any demarcation in thematter of work and workers, there arosecompetition for jobs for the first time in the country.It was a disastrous development and it generatedjealousy, disputes and a host of other evils amongpeople who had hitherto lived in harmony.

Ill feelings developed between Brahmins and non-Brahmins also. How? Brahmins formed only a smallpercentage of the population. But they were able tooccupy top positions in the new order owing to theirintelligence which, as I said before, was the result ofthe “pedalling” done by their forefathers. Theyexcelled in all walks of life—in administration, inacademics, in law, in medicine, engineering and soon. The white man made his own calculations aboutdeveloping animosity between Brahmins and non-Brahmins and realised that by fuelling it he couldstrengthen his hold on the country. He fabricatedthe Aryan-Dravidian theory of races and the seeds

of differences were sown among children born of thesame mother. It was a design that proved effective ina climate already made unhealthy by rivalry forjobs.

As if to exacerbate this the Brahmin took one moredisastrous step. On the one hand he gave up thedharma of his caste and joined hands with theBritish in condemning the old order by branding it abarbarous one in which one man exploited another.But, on the other hand, though he spoke thelanguage of equality, he kept aloof from other castesthinking himself to be superior to them. If in the pasthe had not mixed physically with members of othercastes, it did not mean that he had placed himselfon a high pedestal. We must remember that therewas a reason for his not coming into physicalcontact with other castes. There have to bedifferences between the jatis based on food, workand surroundings.

The photographer needs a dark room to develop hisfilms. To shoot a film, on the contrary, powerfullights are needed. Those who work in a factorycanteen have to be scrupulously clean; but thosewho dust machinery wear soiled clothes. This doesnot mean that the waiter in a canteen is superior tothe factory hand who dusts machines. The man whotakes the utmost care to keep himself intellectuallybright, without any thought of himself, observesfasts, while the soldier, who has to be strong andtough, eats meat.

Why should there be bad feelings between the two,between the Brahmin and the Ksatriya? Does theBrahmin have to come into physical contact with


the Ksatriya to prove that hedoes not bear any ill-willtowards him? If heinterdined with theKsatriya he would betempted to taste meatand such a temptationmight eventually draghim into doing thingsthat militate against hisown duty. Each community

has its own duties, customs and food habits. If alljatis mixed together on the pretext of equalitywithout regard to their individual ways of life, allwork would suffer and society itself would beplunged in confusion.

It was with a definite purpose in view that the villagewas divided into different quarters: the agrahara(the Brahmin quarter), the agriculturists’ quarterand so on. Such a division was possible in rural lifebut not in the new urban way of living. Withurbanisation and industrialisation it becamenecessary for people belonging to various jatis towork together on the same shift, sit together in thesame canteen to eat the same kind of food. TheBrahmin for whom it is obligatory to observe fastsand vows and to perform various rites was now seento be no different from others. Office and collegetimings were a hindrance to the carrying out ofthese rites. So the Brahmin threw them to the winds.He had so far taken care to perform these rites withthe good of others in mind. Like a trustee, he hadprotected dharma for the sake of society and madeits fruits available to all.

All that belonged to the past. Now the Brahmincame forward proclaiming that all were equal andthat he was one with the rest. All the same hebecame the cause of heart-burning among othersand—ironically enough—in becoming one with themhe also competed with them for jobs. That apart,though he talked of equality, he still thought himselfto be superior to others, in spite of the fact that hewas not a bit more careful than them about theperformance of religious duties. Was this not enoughto earn him more hatred?

The Brahmin spoiled himself and spoiled others. Byabandoning his dharma he became a bad example toothers. Now, after he had divested himself of hisdharma, there was nothing to give him distinction,to mark him out from others. As a matter of fact,even by strictly adhering to his dharma the Brahminis not entitled to feel superior to others. He mustalways remain humble in the belief that “everyoneperforms a function in society” and that “I performmine”. If at all others respected him in the past andaccorded him a high place in society it was inconsideration of his selfless work, his life of

austerity, discipline and purity.

It is my decided opinion that the Brahmin isresponsible for the ruin of Hindu society. Somepeople have found an explanation for it. TheBrahmin, if he is to be true to his dharma, has tospend all his time in learning and chanting theVedas, in performing sacrifices, in preserving thesastras, etc. What will he do for a living? If he goes insearch of money or material he will not be able toattend to his lifetime mission—and this mission isnot accomplished on a part-time basis. And if hetakes up some other work for his livelihood, he islikely to become lax in the pursuit of his dharma. Itwould be like taking medicine without the necessarydiet regimen: the benign power gained by theBrahmin from his Vedic learning will be reduced andthere will be a corresponding diminution in the goodaccruing to mankind from his work.

This is one reason why Brahmins alone arepermitted by the sastras to beg for their living. Inthe past they received help from the kings—grantsof lands, for instance—in consideration of the factthat the dharma practised by them benefited allpeople. But the sastras also have it that theBrahmins must not accept more charity than what isneeded for their bare sustenance. If they receivedanything in excess, they would be tempted to seeksensual pleasures and thereby an impediment wouldbe placed to their inner advancement. There is alsothe danger of their becoming submissive to thedonor and of their twisting the sastras to the latter’sliking. It was with a full awareness of these dangersthat in the old days the Brahmins practised theirdharma under the patronage of the rajas (acceptingcharity to the minimum and not subjectingthemselves to any influence detrimental to theirdharma).

The argument of those who have found an excusefor the conduct of latter-day Brahmins goes thus.“Brahmins ceased to receive gifts from rulers afterthe inception of British rule. How can you expectthem to live without any income? Force ofcircumstances made them take to English educationand thereafter to seek jobs with the government. Itis unjust to find fault with them on that score.”

There is possibly some force in this argument but itdoes not fully justify the change that has come overBrahmins. Before the British, the Moghuls ruled usand before them a succession of sultanates. Duringthese periods a few pandits must have found aplace in the darbar. But all other Brahmins adheredto their dharma, did they not, without any supportfrom any ruler? The phenomenon of the Brahminquarter becoming deserted, the village beingruined, the pathasala (the Vedic school) becomingforlorn and the lands (granted to Brahmins) turning


into mere certificates is not more than a hundredyears old. Did not Vedic dharma flourish until ageneration ago?

The Vedic religion prospered in the past not onlybecause of the patronage extended to the Brahminsby the Hindu rulers. People belonging to all varnasthen were anxious that it should not become weakand perish. They saw to it that the Brahmincommunity did not weaken and contributedgenerously to its upkeep and to the nurturing of theVedic tradition. Today you see hundreds of Vedicschools deserted. There are few Brahmin boyswilling to study the scriptures. Who had raised thefunds for the Vedic institutions? [In Tamil Nadu] theNattukottai Nagarattars, Komutti Cettis andVellalas1. The work done by Nagarattars for ourtemples is indeed remarkable. Throughout TamilNadu, if they built a temple they also built a Vedicschool along with it in the belief that the Vedasconstituted the “root” of the temple. This root, theyfelt, was essential to the living presence of the deityin the temple and for the puja conducted there.Similarly, the big landowners among the Vellalasmade lavish donations to the Vedic schools.

If the Brahmin had not been tempted by the Europeanlife-style and if he were willing to live austerelyaccording to the dictates of the sastras, other casteswould have come forward to help him. It is not thatthe others deserted him. He himself ran away from hisdharma, from his agraharas, from his village and fromthe Vedic school because of his new appetite for thelife of luxury made possible with the new technologyof the West. He forgot his high ideals and paid scantrespect to the principle that the body’s requirementsare not more than what it takes in physical terms—tohelp the well-being of the Self. All told the argumentthat the Brahmin was compelled to abandon hisdharma because he was denied his daily bread doesnot hold water. We cannot but admit that the Brahminbecame greedy, that he yearned far more than whathe needed for his sustenance.

Let us concede that the Brahmin left his villagebecause he could not feed himself there and came toa city like Madras. But did he find contentmenthere? What do we see today in actual practice?Suppose a Brahmin receives a salary of Rs 1,000 inMadras today. If he gets a job in Delhi with doublethe salary he runs off there. When he goes to Delhihe would abandon totally the dharma he was able topractise at least to a small extent in Madras. Later, ifhe were offered $4,000 a month in America he wouldleave his motherland for that country, lured by theprospect of earning a fortune. There, in the UnitedStates, he would become totally alienated from hisreligion, from his dharma, from all his traditions.The Brahmin is willing to do anything, go to anyextent, for the sake of money. For instance, he would

join the army ifthere were thepromise of moreincome in it. Ifnecessary he wouldeven take to eatingmeat and todrinking. The usualexcuse trotted outfor the Brahmindeserting hisdharma does notwash.

I will go one step further. Let us suppose that,following the import of Western technology, othercommunities also became averse to observing theirrespective dharmic traditions. Let us also assumethat, with their thinking and feelings influenced bythe Aryan-Dravidian theory concocted by theEnglish, these castes decided not to support theBrahmins any longer. Let us further assume that tofeed himself (for the sake of a handful of rice) theBrahmin had to leave hearth and home and work inan office somewhere far away from his native village.Were he true to his dharma he would tell himself: “Iwill continue to adhere to my dharma come whatmay, even at the risk of death”. With this resolve hecould have made a determined effort to pursueVedic learning and keep up his traditional practices.

There is no point, however, in suggesting whatpeople belonging to the generation that has gone byshould have done. I would urge the presentgeneration to perform the duties that the pastgeneration neglected to perform. To repeat, youmust not forsake your dharma even on pain ofdeath. Are we going to remain deathless? As it is weaccumulate money and, worse, suffer humiliationand earn the jealousy of others and finally we dielosing caste by not remaining true to our dharma.

Is it not better then to starve and yet be attachedfirmly to our dharma so long as there is breath in us?Is not such loyalty to our dharma a matter of pride?Why should we care about how others see us,whether they honour us or speak ill of us? So long aswe do not compete with them for jobs they will haveno cause for jealousy or resentment. Let them call usbackward or stupid or think that we are not capable ofkeeping abreast of the times. Are we not now alreadytheir butt of ridicule? Let us be true to our dharma inthe face of the mockery of others, even in the face ofdeath. Is not such a lot preferable to suffering theslings of scorn and criticism earned by forsaking ourdharma for the sake of filling our belly?

People nowadays die for their motherland; they laydown their lives for their mother tongue. They donot need a big cause like the freedom of the country


machines. With more and more factories andincreasing machine power, life itself has becomecomplicated. The situation today is such thateveryone is facing difficulties in getting admission tocollege or in getting a job.

People ask me: “What is the remedy today? Do youexpect all Brahmins to leave their new life-style andreturn to Vedic learning?” Whether or not I expectthem to do so and whether or not such a step seemspossible, I must ask them to do so (to return to theirVedic dharma). Where is the need for a guru-pitha ora seat on which an acarya is installed if I am to keepmy mouth shut and watch idly as the dharma that isthe source of everything is being endangered? Evenif it seems not possible (Brahmins returning to thedharma of their birth) it must be shown to bepossible in practice: that is the purpose of theinstitutions called mathas. They must harness alltheir energies towards the attainment of this goal.

During the years of the freedom struggle somepeople wondered whether the white man would quitbecause of Satyagraha. Many things in this worldregarded as not being within the realm of possibilityhave been shown to be possible. It is not for me tosay that this (the return of all Brahmins to the Vedicdharma) is not possible; to take such a view wouldbe contrary to our very dharma. It is up to you tomake it possible in practice or not to make itpossible. All I can do is to keep reminding you of themessage of the dharmasastras.

Note & Reference

1. Non-Brahmin jatis of Tamil Nadu.

2. sreyan svadharmo vigunah para-dharmatsvanusthitatSvadharme nidhanam sreyah para-dharmobhayavahah. Bhagavadgita, 3.35.

Candrasekharendra Saraswati

Source: Hindu Dharma The Universal Way ofLife, Bhavan’s Book University, Mumbai,pictures: indianhindudharma.blogspot.com

to be roused to action: they court death, immolatethemselves, even for a cause that may seem triviallike the merger of a part of their district in another.Was there any demonstration of faith like this, suchwillingness to die for a cause or a belief, when theBritish came here with their life-style? At that timedid we protect our dharma with courage, in thebelief that even death was a small price to pay for it?

The Lord himself has declared in the Gita that it isbetter to die abiding by one’s dharma than prosperthrough another man’s dharma (“nidhanamgreyer”)2. Brahmins who had seen no reason tochange their life-style during the long Muslim periodof our history changed it during British rule. Why?New sciences and machinery came with the whiteman. The motor car and electricity had their ownimpact on life here. Brahmins were drawn tocomforts and conveniences not thought of before.This could be a reason for their change of life, butnot a justification.

The Brahmin is not to regard his body as a meansfor the enjoyment of sensual pleasures but as aninstrument for the observance of such rites as arenecessary to protect the Vedas—and the Vedas haveto be protected for the welfare of mankind. Thebasic dharma is that to the body of the Brahminnothing must be added that incites his sensualappetite. It was a fundamental mistake on the part ofthe Brahmin to have forgotten the spirit of sacrificethat imbues his dharma and become a victim of thepleasures and comforts easily obtained from thenew gadgets and instruments.

There is pride in adhering to one’s dharma evenwhen one is faced with adverse circumstances.Brahmins (during British rule) committed a gravemistake by not doing so and we are suffering theconsequences. See the ill-will in the country todayamong children of the same mother. We havecreated suffering for others also. At first Brahminswere denied admission to colleges and refused jobs.Now things have come to such a pass that othercommunities also suffer the same fate.

All was well so long as man, using his own innateresources, lived a simple life without the help of

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Every evening, under the Babul tree which was theold Kalupur gate, Gandhi, with Anasuya Sarabhai athis side, would talk to the workers, trying to find asolution that satisfied both sides.

Studying the entire issue carefully, Gandhi felt thatthe workers were justified and advised them tostrike work. This proposal was agreed to, but therewas also the fear of being dismissed, of having nowork, of starving. Gandhi, realizing their fears,decided to fast himself. Both workers and millowners were aghast. They could not allow Gandhi tofast. After three days the mill owners and workersagreed to an arbitration much to everyone’s relief.

Gandhi’s statement that action alone is just whichdoes not harm either party in a dispute was fullyjustified. Some of the workers even composedpoetry and praised the event. “May God give greatglory and fame to kind-hearted Gandhi and oursister Anasuya, may their names remain before theworld till the day of resurrection.”

As soon as the Ahmedabad strike was over, anotherstruggle emerged and Gandhi was naturally called tosolve it. There was trouble in Kheda, a district nearAhmedabad. Crops had failed because of themonsoon, and the peasants were on the edge ofstarvation. Yet, the government demanded taxes.Gandhi advised the people, rich and poor, not to paythe tax. For four months the poor and the rich stoppedthe payment and finally the government gave in.

Gandhi’s faith in the British still prevailed in spiteof all his campaigns. In 1918 the war againstGermany began and the British government begana campaign to enlist Indians as soldiers. At aconference on the war in Delhi, Gandhi was invitedby the Viceroy of India.

Gandhi, who had been through the experiences ofAfrica, still had faith in the British sense of justiceand called to his countrymen to enlist in the army.As he wrote to his friend Polak, “My recruitingcampaign is a religious activity undertaken for thesacred doctrine of ahimsa (non-violence). I havemade the discovery that India has lost the power tofight—not the inclination. She must regain thepower and then she will deliver to a growing worldthe doctrine of ahimsa.”

Working so hard and travelling constantly he fellseriously ill. He had refused to consume the milk ofcows and buffaloes for some time, but his wifeKasturbai persuaded him to try goat’s milk, whichhe agreed to, after much persuasion.

-To be continued…

-Mrinalini Sarabhai, aninternationally recognizeddancer and choreographeris a director as well as anauthor of scholarly books,novels and children’sbooks. She wasChairperson of theGujarat State Handicraftsand HandloomDevelopment CorporationLtd and is one of the trustees ofthe Sarvodaya International Trust, anorganization dedicated to promoting theGandhian ideals of Truth, Non Violence, Peace,Universal Brotherhood and HumanitarianService. She is closely associated with BharatiyaVidya Bhavan for the past more than threedecades. The Bhavan has published her book‘Sacred Dance of India’, ‘The Mahatma and thePoetess’, a selection of letters exchangedbetween Gandhiji and Sarojini Naidu edited byMrinalini Sarabhai.

Source: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi byMrinalini Sarabhai, Bhavan’s Book University,Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai, India


Mahatma Gandhi in Africa

With Gokhalein SouthAfrica

Madanarekha Vindicated

Untold Stories of King Bhoja

“I cannot understand this man’s behaviour. If hehas developed such a revulsion towards me, whatmade him extract that promise from me the otherday? Apparently, he is turning a somersault.Whatever be the reason for this change, he triesto put on the garb of righteousness. What a lot oftrouble have I taken to keep my word? And whatdoes this man talk? How can I possibly toleratethe hypocrisy? I shall now try to provoke him.Then he is likely to come round,” Madanarekhathought.

Thinking thus, she addressed the Brahmin boy: “Isee it all now. O, poor Brahmin! Since when haveyou been admitted to the sannyasi order? Haveyou taken to dieting with a view to reducing yourvigour? Has yoga-practice made you repel women?Or, have you got too many girl-friends these days?Perhaps you are afraid of me and fear that myhusband will thrash you if he finds out how youhave misbehaved? If that is so, my dear friend, Ican tell you that I have told my husbandeverything about you and about my contract withyou. Therefore, disabuse yourself of any fear andtake me. Hurry up, I have to return as my husbandis waiting for me.”

The Brahmin boy grew nervous. Thought he:“True, I was mad with lust at that time. I realise itnow. The effect of that evil mind pursues me.

Otherwise, why should she come here now like aghost and persist in fulfilling her promise? O, Lord!How shall I put her off?”

Thinking thus, he addressed Madanarekha: “Myfriend, believe me when I say that I fully realisenow that, as my father was your guru, you are mysister. I feel ashamed to own that I tried tomisbehave the other day, having been caught in afit of lust. Even that little mad action is enough sin.I do not know how long its expiation will take. Andnow you want me to fulfil my part of theobligation, even as you have come here infulfilment of your pledge. I dread to think of theconsequences. Now, will it do if I tell you that yourcoming to me first by way of keeping your pledgehas been sufficient fulfilment so far as I amconcerned? And will you accept, it when I say thatI completely absolve you from any furtherobligation? I really congratulate you on youraction by which you have vindicated your word.May I tell you sincerely that the people of the landof today and those that come later, will praise youas the model of chastity and truth? May I in theend bless you, as a brother, for your courage andstead-fastness?”

-To be continued…

V.A.K. Ayer

Source: Untold Stories of King Bhoja, Bhavan’sBook University, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Bhavan’s DimdimaPublished by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, ‘Dimdima’ is one of the most renownedmagazines for children in India. Dimdima is a Sanskrit word which means‘drumbeat’. In the days of King Ashoka road shows named ‘Dimdima’ were held todisseminate news of the king’s victory.

Created by a group of communicators for children including teachers the colourfulmagazine ‘Dimdima’ caters to the needs of readers between 8 and 16 yrs. Dimdimamust be a part of children’s learning environment and when Dimdima is around, itis just a matter of time for them to pick up the reading habit thus empoweringthem to open the treasure house of knowledge in the coming years. Drawinginspiration from the huge success of the portal, ‘www.dimdima.com’, BharatiyaVidya Bhavan started Dimdima magazine to expand its horizons. With its simpleand lucid language Dimdima provides infotainment to its young readers. Readerscan put on their thinking caps and contribute stories, paintings, poetry and jokesto the magazine.

Available for purchase from:Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Australia, Suite 100 / 515 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000Ph: 1300 242 826 (1300 BHAVAN) Email: [email protected]



Ayurveda

I cannot imagine any other branch of knowledge which

has stood the test of centuries, and yet has suffered so

much on account of foreign rule. The attitude of the

practitioners of the Western healing art has so upset

values that there is more confusion of thought and

approach in respect of Ayurveda than of any other subject

in India today.

In the past, Ayurveda had a great record of research.

Charak, centuries ago, first isolated sugar in diabetes.

Bhava Mishra of Kashi, as early as the seventeenth

century, studied venereal diseases known as ‘Firangi

Roga’—the diseases of the Portuguese. It was Trimulbhatt

who discovered that arsenic was a remedy for these

diseases. Ehrlich used it for the first time only in the

twentieth century. Only yesterday ‘Sarpagandha’, used by

Ayurveda for ages for insanity, hysteria and that ailment

which we now call blood-pressure, was announced all

over the world as a great discovery of modern science:

Rauwolfia Serpentina.

Dr K.M. Munshi

Founder, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Kulapativani

The Test of Bhavan’s Right to Exist

The test of Bhavan’s right to exist is whether thosewho work for it in different spheres and in differentplaces and those who study in its many institutionscan develop a sense of mission as would enable themto translate the fundamental values, even in a smallmeasure, into their individual life.

Creative vitality of a culture consists in this: whetherthe ‘best’ among those who belong to it, howeversmall their number, find self-fulfilment by living up tothe fundamental values of our ageless culture.

It must be realized that the history of the world is astory of men who had faith in themselves and in theirmission. When an age does not produce men of suchfaith, its culture is on its way to extinction. The realstrength of the Bhavan, therefore, would lie not somuch in the number of its buildings or institutions itconducts, nor in the volume of its assets and budgets,nor even in its growing publication, culture andeducational activities. It would lie in the character,humility, selflessness and dedicated work of itsdevoted workers, honorary and stipendiary. Theyalone can release the regenerative influences, bringinginto play the invisible pressure which alone cantransform human nature.


He is the devotee .... Who is jealous of none; Who is a fount of mercy; Who is without egotism; Who is selfless;Who treats alike cold and heat, happiness and misery; Who is ever forgiving; Who is always contented;Whose resolutions are firm; Who has dedicated mind and soul to God;Who causes no dread; Who is not afraid of others;Who is free from exultation, sorrow and fear;Who is pure;Who is versed in action and yet remains unaffected by it;Who renounced all fruit, good or bad; Who treats friend and foe alike; Who is untouched by respect or disrespect;Who is not puffed up by praise;Who does not go under when people speak ill of him;Who loves silence and solitude;Who has a disciplined reason.

-Mahatma Gandhi

The Devotee

I want active co-operation from every child of Indiato spread the dynamic spirit of Nationality.

A child can never reach youth except when he passesthrough boyhood. A person can never realise hisunity with God, the All, except when unity with theWhole Nation throbs in every fibre of his frame. Letevery son of India stand for the service of the Whole,seeing that whole India is embodied in every man.

Almost every town, stream, tree, stone, and animal

National Dharma

Tradition is like a relay race in which one runnerhands on the torch to another, so that the raceneither slows down nor pauses. Progress withoutthe back ground and support of tradition would bea risky enterprise, a leap in the dark. As our laterbeloved Prime Minister has said: A country,especially one with an old civilization has deeproots in the past which cannot be pulled outwithout great harm, even though many weeds in theform of harmful and out-of-date customs andinstitutions can and should be pulled out. Even asnature establishes one kind of equilibrium whichcannot be disturbed suddenly without untowardresults appearing, so also in a community or acountry, it is not easy or desirable to upset oldways of living too suddenly.

The attempt to solve a problem in this way mightwell lead to grave and more difficult problems... Wemust look to the future and work for it purposelyand with faith and vigour, at the same time we mustkeep our past inheritance and derive sustenancefrom it.” Change is essential but continuity is alsonecessary. The future has to be built on thefoundations laid in the past and the present. Todeny the past and break with it completely is touproot ourselves, and, sapless, dry up.

-His Eminence Cardinal Valerian Gracias

Tradition and Progress

From Bhavan’s Journal August 16, 1964Reprinted in Bhavan’s Journal August 31, 2014

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is personified and sanctified in India. Is it not hightime now to deify the entire Motherland and letevery partial manifestation inspire us with devotionto the Whole? Through Prana Pratishtha Hindusendow with flesh and blood the effigy of Durga.

-Swami Rama Tirtha

taxation & business guru Taxation Guru - using their knowledge and expertise to stay ahead of the every changing taxation legislation.

need help with Super, Salary packages, Fringe benefits, Investments and deductions. Call the Taxation Guru, the power to help you make the right decisions. We endeavour to take the burden off your shoulders and make life easy by providing a broad range of tax related services. Contact us at: Suite 100, Level 4, 515 Kent Street, Sydney 2000 t: 1300 GURU4U (487848) & +612 9267 9255 e: [email protected] www.taxationguru.com.au

It will be an Australia-wide event incollaboration with the majoruniversities in every major City -Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane,Perth, Hobart, Darwin.

Activities including educationallectures/workshops, talking to prisoninmates, Police personnel, somemusical and sports activities.

We seek your support / activeparticipation preferably in the followingmanner:

Mark any of your proposed activities

during the month of October as part ofthe Nonviolence Month

Hold a lecture series on educating theconcept of nonviolence and itsimplementation in day to day life inany university / institution in Australia

Dedicate any literary / sports activitiesat any of the universities / institutionsto promotion of the cause ofNonviolence

Introduction to any of your highprofile peace partners in the mannersuitable/ appropriate to you.

NONVIOLENCE MONTH2 October - 1 November 2014

International Centre of Non-Violence AustraliaSuite 100, Level 4, 515 Kent StreetSydney NSW 2000 Australia

Tel. +61 2 9264 1313 E: [email protected]

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